The sister of Gloria Satterfield, Alex Murdaugh’s late housekeeper, broke down in court as she blasted the disgraced legal scion for stealing millions from her family.
Double murderer Murdaugh, who is serving a life sentence for the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul, appeared in a South Carolina courtroom Tuesday to formally plead guilty to dozens of financial crimes.
As part of the plea deal, Murdaugh admitted to stealing $9 million from vulnerable clients of his law firm and would have to add 27 years to his sentence.
During the hearing, many of his victims made powerful impact statements in the Beaufort County courtroom.
Among them was the family of Gloria Satterfield, the longtime maid who died in a fall in the Murdaugh home. Murdaugh had promised to care for her sons after she died, but later pocketed every penny of their $4.3 million insurance settlement.
Gloria’s sister Ginger Hadwin told him in court: ‘Those children lost a mother and you stole every cent from them. I just don’t understand it. Have you no soul?’
The killer, who beamed as he entered court, later cried as he apologized to the victims and blamed his financial crimes on a crippling opioid addiction. He also took the opportunity to publicly deny killing his wife and son.
Double murderer Alex Murdaugh was seen smiling as he entered the South Carolina courtroom for his sentencing for financial crimes
Prosecutor Creighton Waters, left, addresses the court during Tuesday’s sentencing
Murdaugh seems irritated as Waters describes his financial crimes
The housekeeper’s son, Tony Satterfield, said: “You lied, you cheated, you stole, you betrayed me and my family and you did it at the cost of my mother’s death.”
“I’m sorry that your family has to go through what they will have to go through for the rest of their lives because of your actions.”
Tony said, “I want you to know that I forgive you. I will pray for you every day.”
At the sentencing Tuesday, Eric Bland, an attorney representing the victims of Murdaugh’s financial crimes, said, “This wasn’t Enron, this wasn’t WorldCom — stealing from faceless people.” These were people he knew, with whom he broke bread.”
Pamela Pinckney, the mother of Hakeem Pinckney, a deaf man who became paralyzed after a car accident in 2009, also spoke.
Murdaugh acknowledged receiving the bulk of a $309,000 settlement and then an additional $89,000 payment after Pinckney died in a nursing home.
She said, “Because of what you did to me, I thank God for giving me the strength to deal with what you did to me.”
“To you, Alex Murdaugh, I never thought you would betray me and do to me and my family the way you did at a vulnerable time in our lives, at our lowest state.”
“You took us for granted, but all I want to say to you is that I forgive you from my heart,” she added.
Relatives of Murdaugh’s longtime housekeeper Gloria Satterfield (pictured) made statements
The sister of Gloria Satterfield, the longtime maid who died at the Murdaugh home, spoke
The son of Gloria Satterfield, one of Murdaugh’s financial crime victims, spoke
While addressing his victims, Murdaugh said while handcuffed, “Every one of you who spoke, I listened to you, I heard you. Your pain and hurt are palpable. I promise you it speaks to me. I understand. I hope the time comes when you can look back and know that I care about all of you.”
“I would never hurt Maggie and I would never hurt Paul and it’s important to me that you know that,” he later added when addressing one of his victims and friend Jordan Jinks.
‘I have deceived you all. I’m not proud of it. I’ve done terrible things. I care about each and every one of you. I have special memories of my interactions with all of you, apart from the terrible things I did.”
Murdaugh’s other victims include state trooper Tommy Moore who went to Murdaugh after his patrol car was struck by a driver who lost control in the snow, leaving him with neck injuries. Murdaugh admitted to stealing $100,000 of the $125,000 settlement.
Even Murdaugh’s brother, who worked at the family law firm, said Murdaugh accepted and cashed a $121,000 check meant for the brother, prosecutors said.
Murdaugh appeared visibly irritated as prosecutor Creighton Waters described his financial crimes in court.
Prosecutors initially charged Murdaugh with 101 financial crimes, including breach of trust, money laundering, tax evasion and stealing $9 million, involving 18 victims.
Under the settlement, the count was reduced to 22 crimes against each of his clients, with lawyers already negotiating a 27-year prison sentence for the man. serving life in prison without parole.
When Judge Newman asked during a hearing on November 17 if he understood the seriousness of his guilty plea during the plea deal hearing, Murdaugh responded that there was “no doubt in my mind.”
“I’ve thought about it for a long time,” he added, to which the judge replied, “I’m sure it is.”
Murdaugh was convicted of murdering his son Paul and wife Maggie at their South Carolina hunting lodge in June 2021
Buster, Paul, Maggie and Alex Murdaugh are pictured in a photo presented to jurors during the trial in Colleton County District Court on Tuesday, February 14
Tuesday’s hearing won’t be the end of Murdaugh’s legal troubles.
He is also awaiting sentencing on federal financial crimes charges, and still faces insurance fraud and other local charges after asking a friend to kill him in September 2021 so his surviving son could get $10 million in life insurance.
His attorneys are seeking a new trial in the murder case, citing allegations that Colleton County Court Clerk Rebecca Hill falsely told jurors to ignore Murdaugh’s testimony and pressured them to quickly reach a verdict. judgment to come.
Another judge will decide whether Murdaugh will get a hearing in which jurors, the court clerk and perhaps Judge Newman will be questioned under oath.
Newman recused himself from all future Murdaugh hearings on his murder conviction afterward came under fire for a controversial interview with NBC News a month after the trial, where he commented on the blockbuster trial.