Alex Murdaugh makes 'explosive' bid to blow up murder case hinging on DNA, dirty money and lies: expert

Alex Murdaugh is set to return to a South Carolina courtroom Friday as his defense presses to toss the murder case and narrow what evidence jurors can hear in a retrial that one former federal prosecutor says comes with a new strategic reality: the defense has "played all their cards." The disbarred attorney is scheduled to appear before Circuit Judge Debra McCaslin at 10 a.m. in Lexington County for a pretrial hearing ahead of his April 2027 retrial in the killings of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.

Unlike Murdaugh's June court appearance, which set a retrial timetable, Friday's hearing follows a flurry of motions from both sides revealing their competing strategies.

Nathan S.

Williams, a South Carolina federal criminal defense attorney and former assistant U.S. attorney who served as criminal chief for the District of South Carolina, told Fox News Digital that Murdaugh's request to dismiss the case is "a big ask" and "the explosive one, frankly, at this point," noting that it attacks the validity of the indictments based on alleged misconduct or false statements.

ALEX MURDAUGH LAWYERS ALLEGE ‘FABRICATED’ EVIDENCE WAS USED TO SECURE MURDER INDICTMENTS Murdaugh’s attorneys, led by Dick Harpootlian, have asked McCaslin to dismiss the murder and weapons indictments , alleging that false physical evidence was presented to the grand jury that indicted him.

The motion targets testimony from South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigator David Owen and raises questions about the evidence used to secure the original charges.

ALEX MURDAUGH MURDER SAGA LANDS RIGHT BACK WHERE IT STARTED BEFORE NEXT LOWCOUNTRY COURTROOM BATTLE It is not yet clear whether McCaslin will rule on the dismissal motion Friday.

"They're alleging misconduct or false statements by one of the main case agents," he said.

Williams added that he would be "a little surprised if that gets taken up on Friday," saying the issue will likely require evidence, testimony and additional briefing.

The disputes range from a defense effort to dismiss the murder indictments outright to battles over whether prosecutors can again introduce evidence of Murdaugh’s financial crimes, use testimony he gave during his first trial and present other evidence to a new jury.

Williams said that a second trial changes the strategic landscape for Murdaugh.

"There is no surprising the government or the state at trial," Williams said.

"He's given his testimony, they can prepare infinitely now to cross-examine him." "That tends to be frankly more helpful for the state.

I think they usually have a better chance on retrial," he added, while noting that limits on some of the state's evidence could cut the other way.