It looked like the nearly month-long trial of accused double murderer Alex Murdaugh was about to end up in the hands of the jury, but now still more witnesses are lined up and the jurors will be taking a field trip.
Over the objections of the prosecution, Judge Clifton Newman has granted the defense team's request to bus the jury out to the Murdaugh estate. It's about a thirty-minute drive from the courtroom. They will be going to see the crime scene for themselves.
Murdaugh lawyer Dick Harpootlian argued they need that perspective to understand the testimony of analysts telling them the state's version of how the killings happened is not likely or even possible.
There was some gruesome testimony from a forensics and pathology expert bolstering the two-shooter scenario. He contends the muzzle of the shotgun had actually been touching Paul's head when it was fired. That would have produced such a stunning so-called "blowback" ,that would've left the shooter at least momentarily unable to have then picked up a rifle. The prosecution did not cross-examine him.