In another lawsuit filed in relation to the death of Mallory Beach a private detective agency has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against a Charleston attorney for unpaid legal fees.
In 2019 Attorney Mark Tinsley filed a wrongful death suit against Gregory Parker, and Parker Corporation, and Alex Murdaugh as a secondary defendant on behalf of the family of Mallory Beach who was killed February 2019 in a boating collision involving Paul Murdaugh, son of Alex Murdaugh, and several friends. Utilizing his older brother’s driver’s license, the underage Murdaugh purchased beer from a Parker’s Kitchen and later crashed the boat into a bridge which resulted in Miss Beach’s death. The lawsuit ultimately settled for $15 million dollars with Parker’s paying the bulk of the settlement and the rest coming from the estate of Maggie Murdaugh.
While pursuing the wrongful death lawsuit Tinsley began to think things weren’t on the up and up on the defendant’s side of the matter. In 2021 Tinsley filed an additional “civil outrage” personal injury suit. The suit, filed by Renee Beach, Mallory Beach’s mother, states that Parkers and their attorneys orchestrated a plan “harass and inflict emotional distress on his clients and sway public opinion in the case”, according to Michael DeWitt of the Greenville News. Tinsley had been unsuccessful in obtaining documented proof of these allegations. Now the private detective agency in question, Inquiry Agency, has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against BakerHostetler and partner Jason D’Cruz for unpaid work and legal fees. The complaint states that “BakerHostetler” entered into a contract with Inquiry Agency to investigate Paul Murdaugh and his family in an effort to gain information to be used in a public relations campaign to sway public opinion in favor of Greg Parker and Parkers Kitchens who was being sued for the wrongful death of Mallory Beach.” It was during Inquiry Agency’s investigation, that attorney Mark Tinsley became aware of what was going on and subsequently filed subpoenas to Inquiry Agency for their complete investigative file. The complaint further states that Inquiry Agency was told by BakerHostetler to not comply with the subpoenas “under any circumstances” and that Inquiry Agency needed to meet with Jason D’Cruz of BakerHostetler, and Greg Parker and his private counsel to discuss Inquiry Agency needing representation to object to the subpoenas. Inquiry Agency did not want to file objections to the subpoenas and as a result accrued thousands of dollars in legal fees as a result of the subpoenas from Mark Tinsley of Gooding and Gooding, P.A., which they wish to recoup.
The legal proceedings are still ongoing in Hampton County.
