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A28 u.s. news
Diamars 14 December 2021

Murdaugh blamed some problems on addiction; bond set at $7M

proved since September and His legal troubles began after statement.
had not used opiates in more his wife, Maggie, 52, and son
than three months. Paul, 22, were found shot to Lee’s bond order surpassed
death at the family’s estate amounts recommended by
“My head is on straighter, in June. No one has been prosecutors, who had rec-
I’m thinking clearer than I charged in their deaths and ommended the judge either
have in a long, long time,” Murdaugh’s lawyers said he set bond at the $6.2 mil-
Murdaugh said. “I want to has denied having anything lion Murdaugh was accused
deal with these charges ap- to do with their killings. of stealing or a lesser fig-
propriately and head-on. I ure of $4.7 million — about
want to repair as much of the Running parallel to the $100,000 for each count.
damage that I’ve done as I criminal court saga is a grow-
can. I want to repair as many ing number of lawsuits. Defense attorneys had asked
of the relationships as I can.” Murdaugh’s former law firm the judge to set bond at a
has sued him, as have the maximum of $200,000 and
Monday’s bond hearing sons of his dead housekeeper, indicated they would ask Lee
centered on charges handed who died after a fall at one of reconsider her Monday deci-
(AP) — Speaking pub- down by a grand jury total- the family’s homes in 2018. sion.
licly for the first time in Monday’s hearing marked ing 48 counts of breach of The Murdaugh family also
months, the prominent the first time Murdaugh has trust with fraudulent intent; faces lawsuits surrounding “He can’t post a $7 million.
South Carolina attorney spoken publicly at length computer crimes; money a 2019 boat crash in which He couldn’t post a $700,000,”
accused of a slew of mostly since the deaths. laundering and forgery. Paul Murdaugh was charged said defense attorney Dick
financial crimes after his Prosecutors said that among with boating under the influ- Harpootlian. “He has no
wife and son were found He faces a separate set of Murdaugh’s victims in the ence causing death. money.”
shot dead outside their charges for what police say schemes dating back to 2015
home, blamed some of his was an attempt to have him- were family friends, an un- On Monday, attorneys for Murdaugh has been jailed
problems on a 20-year- self shot and killed Sept. 4 so documented immigrant and both Murdaugh and deceased since October on charges of
long opiate addiction his surviving son could col- a car wreck victim. housekeeper Gloria Satter- stealing insurance money
shortly before a judge set lect a $10 million life insur- field’s’s sons announced dur- from Satterfield’s sons.
bond at $7 million Mon- ance policy. Investigators say Murdaugh ing the bond hearing that
day. used a fraudulent bank ac- some victims were nearing Circuit Judge Clifton
Murdaugh described to the count he created with a simi- resolution with Murdaugh, Newman again denied
The entire $7 million must judge his frame of mind lead- lar name to a company that who is also accused of steal- bond in November, citing
be posted for Alex Murdaugh ing up to the events of that handles legal settlements. ing insurance money meant Murdaugh’s considerable fi-
to go on house arrest with day. He said he he had met According to indictments, he for Satterfield’s sons. nancial resources and mental
electronic monitoring, get with his brother and another then used the money to pay instability. A spokesperson
counseling and be random- law firm partner to confess bank overdraft fees, credit The lawyers for both for the state Attorney Gen-
ly drug tested, said Circuit a 20-year-long hidden ad- card payments, checks writ- Murdaugh and Satterfield’s eral’s Office said that means
Judge Alison Renee Lee in diction and to “discuss my ten to friends and family and family said Murdaugh had Murdaugh will remain at a
the virtual hearing. actions” in the 24 hours be- other items. agreed to a $4.3 million judg- Richland County detention
fore the attempted killing, ment in the case, subject to center regardless of the out-
The 53-year-old heir to a and was going through opiate Murdaugh’s father, grand- the approval of court-ap- comes of other bond hear-
legal dynasty in Hampton withdrawal at the time. father and great-grandfather pointed receivers who now ings.
County, South Carolina, were prosecutors in tiny control his assets.
faces nearly 50 counts for The firm announced its own Hampton County, where His attorneys have appealed
what prosecutors said were investigation into missing every road leading to the “The family is pleased that that no bond decision to the
schemes to steal more than funds shortly after Murdaugh county seat is two lanes. The Mr. Murdaugh has finally state Supreme Court.
$6.2 million in settlement said he was going into rehab family’s law firm, located in expressed his apologies and
and other money from about in September. the most impressive building has taken a positive step to- He could face more than 500
a dozen clients. He also faces in town after the courthouse, ward resolution by agreeing years in prison if convicted of
some other charges after po- Murdaugh said he knew he has spent a century winning to confess judgment to Glo- all the charges, which are all
lice said he tried to fake his had tarnished his family’s multimillion-dollar verdicts. ria’s sons,” Satterfield law- felonies.
own death. legacy, but that he had im- yer Ronnie Richter said in a

California may cut rooftop solar incentives as market booms

(AP) — California’s say the savings are now so bitious clean energy goals. Gas & Electric and Southern no bills at all — they’re con-
26-year-old program to great that solar customers no California Edison — say the tributing less to those things.
get more people to put so- longer pay their fair share for California’s net metering current setup allows solar That means more of the cost
lar panels on their homes the operation of the overall program launched in 1995 customers to sell their en- is shouldered by other cus-
has been wildly successful, energy grid. with the goal of boosting so- ergy back into the grid for tomers. The utilities peg that
but state regulators may lar adoption in the famously more than it’s worth. They cost at $3 billion, though the
reduce the incentives for The future of the program, sunny state. California now say more needs to be done solar industry disputes that
people to go solar in a bid known as “net energy meter- has more than 1.3 million to make sure solar customers number.
to reduce electricity bills ing,” has prompted a fierce residential solar installations, — most of whom still rely on
for the rest of residents debate between the state’s more than any other state, ac- power from utilities at night-
in the most populous U.S. major utilities and the solar cording to the solar industry. time — are paying for all the
state. industry. That number will only grow parts of the energy grid they
because since 2020 all newly use.
Current incentives allow Regulators at the California constructed homes in Cali-
residential solar customers Public Utilities Commission, fornia must have solar panels. Power rates include many
to sell whatever energy they which oversees the state’s costs unrelated to energy
don’t use back to power com- major utilities and the rates But as solar panels prolif- generation, like transmission,
panies at the retail rate for they can set, are expected to erated, criticism about the distribution and even wildfire
power, usually resulting in a issue proposed reforms on program grew. The major prevention work. When solar
big discount on their energy Monday. It comes as Califor- utility companies — Pacific households pay significantly
bills. But power companies nia strives to achieve its am- Gas & Electric, San Diego lower electricity bills — or