In Walterboro, a little city some 40 miles west of Charleston, the murder trial of infamous South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh is currently under progress. The case goes back to June 2021, when Murdaugh’s wife and son were found shot to death at the family’s Islandton property, known as Moselle.
Richard Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin are Alex Murdaugh’s defense attorneys.
According to The Post and Courier, Paul was the one who was initially defended by the attorneys when he was accused of negligence following a boating accident in 2019 that claimed the life of his friend Mallory Beach. Dick is a state senator, and both men had previously served as prosecutors.
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Who are Richard Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin?
Richard Dick Harpootlian is a senator for South Carolina’s District 20. He received his undergraduate degree from Clemson University and his law degree from the University of South Carolina. He is an attorney whose Columbia-based practice specializes in criminal defense.
He served as the deputy solicitor for the Fifth Judicial Circuit from 1975 to 1983 and later was elected solicitor. Defense attorney Harpooltlian’s net worth is estimated to be $10 million.
Jim Griffin is another one of Alex Murdaugh’s defense attorneys, along with Harpootlian. Once a federal prosecutor, he currently practices law in Columbia, South Carolina, as a state and federal criminal defense attorney.
The popular barrister has a solid educational foundation. After getting his degree, Griffinbegan a long job with Husch Blackwell LLP, a nearby AmLaw 200 law firm.
The 62-year-old attorney’s net worth is reportedly above $1 million, according to Gossip Next Door.
Also Read: Was Alex Murdaugh shot in the head months after his wife Maggie and son Paul were killed?
These two defense lawyers are renowned for being great legal strategists with complementary skills and divergent judicial philosophies.
An aggressive and dramatic veteran of more than 100 murder trials, Harpootlian is a Democratic state senator who turns 74 on the first day of the trial. Griffin, 60, is a smart workaholic who focuses on representing white-collar criminals. He is more subdued and even-tempered.
Observers claim that their complementing skill sets are ideal for a suspect like Alex Murdaugh, who is facing a variety of criminal accusations and a focused audience that passionately wants to see him convicted.
