by WILL FOLKS
***
South Carolina circuit court judge Debra McCaslin came down hard on attorneys for the prosecution – and especially the defense – as the retrial of accused killer Alex Murdaugh threatened to go off the rails amid major evidentiary disputes, a secret grand jury investigation and increasingly caustic court filings between counselors.
McCaslin dropped hammers left and right during a two-and-a-half-hour emergency hearing held on Friday (October 16, 2026) in Lexington, S.C.
“I will not allow these proceedings to become a circus,” McCaslin stated emphatically at the conclusion of the hearing. “I will not allow anyone to use this courtroom as a platform for publicity or theatrics.”
McCaslin was especially tough on defense attorney Dick Harpootlian, referring to his claims regarding disputed ballistics evidence as a “fishing expedition.”
“McCaslin went full-on mad mommy,” author and trial watcher Eliza Broadbent noted in her recap of the proceedings.
***
While McCaslin repeatedly chided the defense, she did deliver Murdaugh’s attorneys a significant victory in their bid to test additional DNA evidence from the fingernails and cellphone of the late Maggie Murdaugh. She also left the door open for the defense to demand additional testing on shell casings they think tie Murdaugh family guns to other murders in and around the Palmetto Lowcountry.
Will either line of inquiry help Murdaugh’s attorneys establish his innocence during his high-profile retrial? Or are they indeed nothing more than “fishing expeditions?” We shall see…
Prosecutors scored a big win when McCaslin refused to rein in a secretive statewide grand jury investigation reportedly looking into, among other things, the missing murder weapons from the Palmetto State’s ‘Crime of the Century.’ However, that issue is likely to be revisited when attorneys meet on November 13, 2026 in Lexington for another pre-trial hearing.
To watch this week’s hearing, check out our live feed – and for detailed analysis don’t miss this excellent blow-by-blow breakdown from our inimitable Jenn Wood, who has led our team coverage of this case.
As always, a big thanks to everyone who watches and shares our show – and an especially big ‘thank you’ to everyone who subscribes to our media outlet. Your subscriptions power everything we do at FITSNews: the lights, the camera, the accountability… all of it comes down to your support.
If you value truth and accountability – please subscribe today! And if you’re already a subscriber, please consider gifting a subscription to a friend… or purchasing some of our cool merch!
Catch you next week…
***
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.
***
SOUND OFF…
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
