An attorney with ties to the ‘Murdaugh Murders‘ crime and corruption saga is no longer practicing law. Earlier this month, the South Carolina supreme court acted on a recommendation from its office of disciplinary counsel to place attorney James H. Moss of Beaufort, S.C. on “incapacity active status.”
The order – signed by outgoing chief justice Donald Beatty – appointed attorney Peyre T. Lumpkin to assume responsibility for Moss’ client files, trust accounts, escrow accounts, operating accounts and any other law office accounts he formerly maintained.
“Based on the record, the court finds (Moss) is unable to practice law,” the order stated.
Moss is a founding partner of Moss and Kuhn — a law firm previously known as Moss, Kuhn, and Fleming. The name change took place not long after partner Cory Fleming’s ouster following his indictment on various crimes related to aiding the financial schemes of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh.
While a partner in the firm, Fleming had a hand in some of Murdaugh’s most notorious fleecings against clients including Hakeem Pinckney and the heirs of Gloria Satterfield.
Following his graduation from law school – and after a brief stint with the S.C. fourteenth circuit solicitor’s office, Fleming went into private practice at Moss and Kuhn in 1996, along with Murdaugh – his college roommate.
Fleming stayed with the firm for the duration of his law career, but Murdaugh went on to join the Hampton County law firm PMPED – which has since changed its name to Parker Law.
Both Fleming and Murdaugh are currently serving prison time for those financial crimes, as is another convicted co-conspirator, Russell Laffitte, the former president of Palmetto State Bank.
All three of men are pursuing appeals.
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What awareness of these acts might Moss have had? Based on his incapacitation, we may never know.
According to the court’s order, Lumpkin is authorized to receive and handle mail addressed to Moss and to make disbursements as required from any accounts formerly held by Moss.
“This order, when served on any bank or other financial institution maintaining trust, escrow and/or operating account(s) of (Moss), shall serve as an injunction to prevent (Moss) from making withdrawals from the account(s) and shall further serve as notice to the bank or other financial institution that (Lumpkin) has been duly appointed by this court,” the order states.
Count on this media outlet to keep tabs on this story … and all its loose ends.
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THE ORDER …
(S.C. Supreme Court)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Callie Lyons is a journalist, researcher and author. Her 2007 book ‘Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal’ was the first to cover forever chemicals and their impact on communities – a story later told in the movie ‘Dark Waters.’ Her investigative work has been featured in media outlets, publications, and documentaries all over the world. Lyons also appears in ‘Citizen Sleuth’ – a 2023 documentary exploring the genre of true crime.
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2 comments
What an inaccurate job of reporting! All Ms Lyons did was go back through FitsNews files and repeat the inaccuracies that they previously reported. Cory and Alec were never roommates and they were not attorneys at Moss & Kuhn at the same time. They were good friends and shared cases together, as did the two law firms.
Cory worked for Alex’s Father, Randy Murdaugh, in the 14th circuit as a prosecutor. Alex left Moss & Kuhn to work at his family’s law firm in Hampton at the request of his Father. Alex and Maggie Murdaugh were comfortably settled into a new house at Cat Island in Beaufort where several of her former sorority sisters lived. After Alex moved back to Hampton, Cory joined the Beaufort law firm. Jim Moss was a former President of the S.C. Trial Lawyers Association, hall of fame football player at the University of South Carolina where he had a stellar career. He is the only S.C. player to twice be selected as the Jacobs blocking trophy winner, He was also the only player to be drafted in the NFL as a junior and senior. He was drafted as a junior by the St. Louis Cardinals and then as a senior by the Buffalo Bills. After hurting his knee he returned to South Carolina to earn his Law Degree. As for the rest of the story, including the order from the Supreme Court of S.C,. it appears
to be correct!
Eno
“What awareness of these acts might Moss have had?”
Who cares? Leave the old guy alone.