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He’s known internationally for being the lead attorney in one of the most widely watched courtroom dramas in American history – the 2023 double homicide trial of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh – but in South Carolina, he’s known simply as “Dick.”
Or perhaps “a dick,” depending on who you talk to…
Legendary Palmetto State attorney Dick Harpootlian has made a career out of saying exactly what he thinks… no matter how many people he pisses off. In fact, with Harpootlian it seems pissing people off is often the whole point.
“Why mince words?” Harpootlian said during our expansive conversation this month.
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Some stories refuse to stay buried. This one demanded to be told.#truecrime #serialkillerstories #southerngothic #crimehistory #southcarolina pic.twitter.com/6wxSQ72ky7
— Dick Harpootlian (@HarpootlianSC) April 28, 2025
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This relentless bravado has made the former prosecutor and state senator a fixture on the national political scene – one of the few remaining Democrat kingmakers in the Deep South. In the courtroom, Harpootlian has sent high-profile killers like Pee Wee Gaskins to death row – and defended notorious criminals like Murdaugh under the glare of international scrutiny.
As we discussed extensively in this interview, Harpootlian believes he’ll have a chance to defend Murdaugh once again when (note: not “if”) a new trial is granted based on the jury tampering his legal team has exposed.
Harpootlian’s new book, Dig Me a Grave, afforded us an opportunity to sit down with the man whose half century in the legal profession in South Carolina has yielded thousands of colorful stories and plenty of evocative life lessons. None of those stories are more chilling than that of Gaskins, though, whom Harpootlian sent to the state’s electric chair in September of 1991.
FITSNews spoke with Harpootlian this week about his life, his legacy and the dark, remorseless character who served as the inspiration for his first true crime drama.
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Enjoy our chat? Want to pre-order your copy of the book? Just scan the code below…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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2 comments
All of that butt kissing finally paid off in the form of an extended interview.
If Todd Rutherford had been on that defense team, Alex would be walking around free today.