COLUMBIA, S.C. β Alex Murdaugh has been convicted of two internal disciplinary charges including abuse of privileges and unauthorized use of an inmate’s PIN number.
The charges involve providing information to be delivered to the news media for an interview and using an inmate’s PIN to make a phone call.
The charges violate policies at South Carolina’s Department Of Corrections.
According to a news release, Murdaugh provided the interview information to be delivered to his attorney through a legal call, legal calls are not recorded or monitored on the inmate phone system per attorney/client privilege. Attorney Jim Griffin recorded Murdaugh reading the information and provided it to the media.
Officials say when the information reached the department on August 8th about the interview, Murdaugh’s Tablet and privileges were revoked. Shortly after, Murdaugh used a fellow inmate’s phone to make a telephone call, which is prohibited, according to a news release.
Officials say the department has sent a letter to Murdaughβs attorneys explaining that their conduct is prohibited by policy and warning the attorneys of the consequences. Inmates in the custody of the S.C. Department of Corrections are not allowed to do interviews. SCDCβs interview policy is rooted in victimsβ rights and is longstanding.
The department believes that victims of crime should not have to see or hear the person who victimized them or their family members on the news. Inmates lose the privilege of speaking to the news media when they enter SCDC.
Tablets are designed and secured for correctional use. They are considered a privilege. The department will determine when and if inmate Murdaugh will earn the opportunity to be issued a tablet again.
