Alex Murdaugh's attorney made a desperate attempt to clear his name on Friday in a bizarre interview where he said his client knows he is going to prison for financial crimes, did 'stupid, illegal things' because he is a drug addict - but insisted he is not behind his wife and son's murders.
Murdaugh, the 53-year-old patriarch of a South Carolina dynasty family, was arrested in Florida earlier this week after being released from rehab.
He has been charged with stealing $4.3million from the kids of his housekeeper - Gloria Satterfield, 57, who died after a mysterious fall at their home in 2018.
He is also being considered a person of interest in the June murders of his wife Maggie and 22-year-old son Paul, who were found shot dead in an 'execution' style killing at the family property, but he has not been charged in their deaths.
On Friday, his attorney Dick Harpootlan appeared on Good Morning America in an effort to dispel what he called 'hysterical theories' about his client and paint him as a desperate, drug addict - but not a murderer.
Harpootlan said Murdaugh does not deny financial crimes, would 'address them' at a bond hearing next week, and that he is 'reconciled' with the fact that he is going to prison for them.
He however strongly denied that his client is a murderer and said he had no 'knowledge or involvement' in the murders of his wife and son.
'He has a long-term, OxyContin addiction which put him in a position where he did these stupid illegal things.
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On Friday, his attorney Dick Harpootlan appeared on Good Morning America in an effort to dispel what he called 'hysterical theories' about his client and paint him as a desperate, drug addict - but not a murderer.
Alex Murdaugh, 53, was arrested on Thursday for stealing $3million from a settlement awarded to the sons of his housekeeper who died in a mysterious fall at his home in 2018
'They keep trying to pound that square peg in a round hole someone out there is responsible for the horrible, almost execution style deaths of Maggie and Paul.
'It is not Alex.'
Asked what his client regrets and admits, Harpootlan said: 'Obviously the financial issue is something he regrets.
'He is going to try to right every wrong, financial wrong... he is reconciled to the fact he is going to prison.
'He understands that. He is a lawyer - he gets it,' he said.
Harpootlan says he is being wrongly suspected because he is who found Maggie and Paul dead .
'When the police show up and they find a dead wife and a dead son and a husband finds them, you know, most times, it's going to turn out to be the husband is involved.
Maggie and Paul Murdaugh (left) were found shot dead at the family's home in June. No one has been arrested for their killings and Murdaugh's attorney insists he had nothing to do with them
'That unfortunately the assumption SLED [South Carolina Law Enforcement Division] made that night.'
Gloria Satterfield, 57, had been the Murdaugh housekeeper for around 25 years when she died following a mystery 'trip and fall' inside the Murdaugh family in 201
Harpootlan added that when he represented Paul in a 2019 case where he was accused of being responsible for the death of teenager Mallory Beach, all he saw was a happy family.
'All I saw was domestic tranquility, love and affection,' he said.
The attorney added that Alex wants to 'set the record straight' and clear up 'lies' that had been told in the media, including that Maggie consulted a divorce attorney before she was murdered.
'The reason I am on this show this morning is just the thirst for knowledge for this case has driven a number of outlets that are false.'
He also sough to undermine comments made by Eddie Smith - the hitman Alex asked to shoot him in June - in a botched suicide by hitman.
Smith - who was arrested for the botched shooting - claimed earlier this week that the gun went off as Alex was trying to kill himself. He denied pulling the trigger.
But Harpootlan says he is lying to get himself out of trouble.
'According to Alex, he met with Smith - Smith was his long-time drug dealer. He met with Smith on the side of the road, gave him the gun, said "I'm going to look like I broke down, drive by and shoot me" which is exactly what Smith did.
'He has a long-term, OxyContin addiction which put him in a position where he did these stupid illegal things
'Unfortunately, or fortunately, Smith's bullet did not penetrate his skull. It did fracture his skull...they had to put him in ICU. He suffered a bullet wound to the head. Eddie Smith is not telling the truth,' he said.
The housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, had been the
