A decision regarding the liability of a Low Country convenience store in a wrongful death suit is expected to be made, later this month. A judge in Lexington County announced Thursday, that he is contemplating whether the suit regarding the death of Mallory Beach in will go before a jury.
Beach was 19 when she died in a 2019 boat crash in Beaufort County. Paul Murdaugh was reportedly driving the boat while drunk, when it crashed. He was charged with felony boating under the influence after the crash and was awaiting trial, when he and his mother were fatally shot in 2021.
Thursday's hearing involved Parker's Convenience Store. The Beach Family says, the clerk at Parker's sold Paul alcohol prior to the crash, knowing he was underage. The store denies the claim saying they learned after the fact , that Paul used a valid ID belonging to his brother, Buster. The store also claims the clerk scanned the ID prior to the sale, which is standard protocol.
After both sides laid out their arguments in court today, the judge ruled that a decision will be made in the next three weeks on whether the case will be heard by a jury.
