Jurors in Alex Murdaugh trial communicate out on tempo of conviction

Joining us now our jurors James McDowell Gwen generette and Amy Williams good morning to all of you good morning thank you for being here after an ordeal a six-week ordeal you did your jury service your civic duty you're here this morning how does it feel when you realize all of the attention you knew it was a high profile case did you.

Understand how many people across the country were watching this I don't think it ever really you know hit that it would be this big yeah how do you guys feel it's the same yeah I didn't think it would be this big either when you saw the cameras outside the courtroom though I mean yeah but yeah that's when I realized this is a big ordeal yeah what.

Have people said to you just in the last few days you know it's a small town I mean people did they realize oh you guys have been on the jury have you heard anything how what is the reaction you've heard so I think that you know it kind of spread pretty quickly so I think that a lot of my friends were very respectful they didn't try to reach out you know.

They didn't want to talk about the case because they knew I couldn't so I think afterwards you know as soon as the verdict came out everybody was kind of just kind of send me messages like you know what's going on yeah yeah you know a lot has been made over the past few days about the speed with which you guys came back with that verdict take us.

Inside the deliberation room as I understand it not everyone initially thought he was guilty is that right correct that's correct yes so throughout the case a lot of people talked about how we didn't have a notepad in the jury room but we did we're able to have or we weren't able to have it in the courtroom but we did have them in the Jury Room so.

A lot of people would write down questions as we you know went back during break so I think that kind of made the deliberation a little bit more efficient everybody knew the questions they had we were able to get through them quickly let's talk about the case a little bit everybody wants to know what you think what for you was the critical.

Peace or pieces of evidence Amy I'll ask you first that that made you feel confident that this guilty verdict was the right one well the witness testimony was very believable and the kennel video definitely played a major part in his testimony yeah yes Murdoch's testimony yes what about when he there was a you know throughout the trial there were a.

Lot of witnesses saying that's him that's his voice when he got on the stand Gwen and said yeah that was me what did you think how did that strike you well first of all I couldn't believe that he was taking the sand and when Gianna said I was like okay so it was him you know I don't know him so I never.

You know knew his voice but I realized it was him in a candle video that just kind of sealed the deal do you think he should have taken the stand no what about you Amy no he didn't help himself no no if I was him I don't think I would have but I think that he believes that he's so convincing that he felt like that was his you know last resort.

In the financial crimes when when the state introduced all of that evidence about the past Financial crimes and the money he'd stolen from clients the money he'd stolen from for the from the firm as well did that impact your decision at all did that make a difference well we could only consider it as part of the motive it helped showing that he.

Was very convincing and manipulative and so it made sense let's talk about his testimony a little bit more because he was very emotional people watching from the outside thought you know maybe this will be compelling to jurors did you believe him did I mean did you believe his tears did you think he was crying some other jurors have.

Said they didn't buy it what you're shaking your head no I didn't think he was crying he turned it on and off yeah it wasn't genuine do you think he hurt himself by taking the stand did he make it worse I think he did yes why I just think that you know we already know that he is a lawyer he's able to be emotional with.

Cases he's able to be emotional with himself he knows like what she said when to turn it on and off so I think that we were kind of able to read right through that um after sitting there for for several weeks and again the state didn't have to prove a motive.

Do either of you have any idea of perhaps why he did it I don't know if we'll ever know I think it may have been a combination of things um not just the financial but everything was weighing heavy on him I believe Gwen what do you think I think it was um he wanted to have control of everything you know and um.

His wife owned a majority of the things that they owned he had so I'm thinking it was more like greed and being in control I think the the prosecution had a very good point it's a storm you know at points in time the defense would take one aspect and be like you know it couldn't have been this and it may not have been that One Singular thing but.

There's so many things there that contribute to that overall storm that you know I think it played a part they had you guys go and visit the scene Mozelle this estate where the crimes took place was that worth your time was that worthwhile did you learn anything from that James yeah I think that we were you know throughout the case you.

Kind of see pictures and stuff but until you get out there you're not able to really see how everything plays A Part um there were a few things that I made mental notes of that I wanted to check out if we did go out there and I was able to con you know take a look at that what about you Gwen same here I wanted to see how big that feed room was and it.

Was very tiny in person and also wanted to see if you could see down there to the fear on the kennels from the house and you could I knew two of you went back the next day after the verdict you went back for the sentencing why was it important for you the two of you to be there for that part of it just to see it through to the end.

Okay just like what she said you know we spent six weeks there we Bond we're very close knit juror or jury at that point in time so it was important for us to go back and kind of you know see it to the end we just decided what the verdict was going to be we at least wanted to see it to the end see what the sentencing would be well I mentioned that you did your.

Civic duty you're wearing your Constitution tie it is a lot that we ask of our fellow citizens to sit in Judgment of another it's not easy it's a great sacrifice in every way so thank you for being here and spending a little time with us in a case that's gotten a lot of interest so thank you for your service you're welcome thank you.

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