Alex Murdaugh Denied Appeal For Financial Crime Sentence

Murdaugh's attorneys argued such a sentence violates the Eighth Amendment and is excessive for the crimes he committed.

Alex Murdaugh’s request to appeal his federal sentence for financial crimes has been denied.

The former lawyer pleaded guilty to 22 charges, including fraud and money laundering. He was sentenced to 40 years on april first and ordered to pay over $8 million in restitution and over $10 million in forfeiture.

As part of the plea agreement he entered with the government, Murdaugh waived the right to appeal his conviction. For that, the government agreed to recommend his sentence be served concurrent to a state sentence imposed for the same conduct.

However, Murdaugh’s attorneys argued such a sentence violates the Eighth Amendment and is excessive for the crimes he committed.

U.S. Attorney for the district of South Carolina, Adair Boroughs, argued expectation of a lower sentence is no basis for getting out of his appeal waiver agreement. The appeal was dismissed all together.