The son of one of America's most famous convicted murderers might be about to destroy his own life with a lawsuit intended to save it.
Last year saw a national fervor over the trial of disgraced former attorney Alex Murdaugh, who was convicted of murdering his wife and son in a sordid saga that involved drug use, embezzlement, an insurance fraud scheme, and an alibi that imploded spectacularly on the stand.
Now, his surviving son Buster is advancing a defamation lawsuit as questions swirl over his involvement in the death of a former classmate.
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But an attorney tells The Daily Beast that could rapidly blow up in his face.
The matter stems from Stephen Smith, a 19-year-old who was found dead on the roadside in March of last year. Originally police classified it as a hit and run, but later an investigation was opened treating it as an "intentional killing."
"Buster denied any involvement in Smith’s death ... claiming he was merely the victim of 'vicious rumors,'" the Beast reported.
"In the lawsuit, lawyers say Buster 'has not been notified by any law enforcement entities of any allegations against him related to Stephen Smith’s death'" — but rumors about his involvement were featured in three separate documentaries about the Murdaugh murders, all of which are targeted by his suit.
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The trouble, attorney Eric Bland told the Beast, is that Buster is opening himself up to discovery in this suit, which could reveal more unsavory details about himself and his family for the public to follow.
“I think this lawsuit will backfire,” said Bland, who has represented some of Alex Murdaugh's fraud victims and the Smith family. “I talked to a number of attorneys who were asked to take on his lawsuit and they passed. This will only bring a spotlight to Stephen’s investigation.”
He added that Buster is effectively "exposing himself."