Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh has launched a blistering attack against Hulu's new true crime dramatisation about the killings of his wife and son, labelling the series "inaccurate and misleading".
Prison Statement Condemns Dramatisation
The 56-year-old, currently serving two life sentences for murdering his wife Maggie and son Paul in 2021, issued a statement through his attorneys expressing profound disappointment with the streaming platform's portrayal. Murdaugh described himself as "deeply disappointed and disturbed" by the eight-part series titled 'Murdaugh: Death in the Family'.
Although the disgraced legal heir doesn't possess a Hulu subscription while incarcerated, his legal team confirmed he received detailed reports about the programme's content. The statement, issued on Murdaugh's behalf, specifically criticised the depiction of family dynamics as "particularly troubling" and completely misrepresenting his relationships with both Maggie and Paul.
Creative Liberties Spark Outrage
The Hulu production, developed with input from journalist Mandy Matney, chronicles the spectacular downfall of South Carolina's once-powerful Murdaugh legal dynasty. While billed as "dramatisation inspired by true events", the series has taken significant creative liberties that have drawn criticism beyond Murdaugh's legal team.
Episode Six, 'June 7', focuses specifically on the night in 2021 when Maggie and Paul were fatally shot on the family's Moselle estate - murders that ultimately shattered the Murdaugh reputation and captivated international audiences.
Australian actor Jason Clarke portrays Alex as an unstable patriarch, alternating between violent, manipulative and self-destructive behaviour opposite Patricia Arquette's depiction of Maggie. One particularly controversial bedroom scene has generated substantial online backlash, with viewers describing it as "disturbing" and "gratuitous".
Fabricated Scenes and Ethical Concerns
The dramatisation includes several entirely fictionalised elements, including a scene showing Murdaugh physically shoving his son Paul to the ground - an incident his attorneys firmly deny ever occurred. The production also invents dialogue, condenses timelines, renames certain characters and creates composite figures.
Murdaugh's defense team, attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, emphasised that neither Hulu nor the programme creators sought input from Alex, his surviving son Buster, or any other family members before airing the series.
"No one from Hulu ever reached out to Alex, his son Buster, anyone in the Murdaugh family, or Alex's attorneys to hear their perspective or verify the facts," the statement continued. "Instead, the program appears to rely heavily on sensationalised accounts from secondary sources with no direct knowledge or relationship with him or his family."
The series heavily emphasises Murdaugh's opioid addiction, featuring scenes of him slurring speech, falling asleep during meals and drooling on himself. While Murdaugh acknowledged during his trial testimony that he was abusing opioids at the time, his legal team maintains the extent and portrayal of these issues are exaggerated for dramatic effect.
Legal Fallout and Family Legacy
Murdaugh was convicted on March 2, 2023 following a six-week televised trial in Walterboro, South Carolina that attracted global media attention. Prosecutors successfully argued that he killed his wife and son to distract from an extensive web of financial crimes and drug addiction.
Despite maintaining his innocence regarding the murders during testimony, Murdaugh has admitted to stealing millions from his law firm and clients - crimes that carry additional lengthy prison sentences. He is currently serving two consecutive life terms but has appealed his murder convictions to the South Carolina Supreme Court.
The Murdaugh family previously dominated South Carolina's 14th Judicial Circuit for nearly a century, producing three generations of solicitors. That powerful lineage completely collapsed following Alex's arrest and conviction, leaving the family name synonymous with corruption, deceit and violent death.
Murdaugh's legal team has urged viewers to approach the Hulu series "with the knowledge that it is not an accurate portrayal of Alex, his family, or the tragic events that it sensationalises."
