Why do juries view crime scenes like the Murdaugh estate?

The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Jurors in Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial will get a chance to see for themselves the rural hunting estate where his wife and son were killed.

Crime scene visits by juries are relatively rare. The disgraced South Carolina attorney is accused of killing his wife and son at dog kennels near their home on June 7, 2021.

He has denied any involvement.

Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian said the jury must see the sprawling property to “appreciate the spatial issues.”

But prosecutors opposed the visit because the scene has changed significantly in the 20 months since the killings.

Read the full story on AP News right here.

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2/28/2023 3:49:39 PM (GMT -6:00)