For The Press and Standard
Interview by Craig Melvin (Today Show)
Photo: aol.com
In his first television interview since presiding over the Alex Murdaugh trial, Judge Clifton Newman spoke about what he says was the highest profile case of his career. Judge Newman commented he probably should not have been surprised at the amount of attention the trial garnered but said that it had all the makings of the high-profile case it was turned out to be. Neither was he shocked at how quickly the jury arrived at its guilty verdict. He discussed how in his experience he found that juries who have listened to weeks upon weeks of testimony, hearing arguments, and hearing evidence do not take long deliberating and reaching a verdict. At sentencing, Judge Newman told Murdaugh he would have to live with what he did and that he knew that he would be visited by Maggie and Paul at night when trying to go to sleep. Judge Newman also said that he felt if Murdaugh had to opportunity to go back in time he would not do what he did. Judge Newman plans to retire this fall after a long career he looked back on the Murdaugh case. He said he felt sorry for Murdaugh and that if there was a hole for him to dive into, he would and keep on until he reached the lowest depth. Newman said he was not attempting to pull him out of that hole, but that he wanted to allow Murdaugh to say something.
