Richard "Buster" Murdaugh, son of disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh, has filed a lawsuit against several media companies, alleging defamatory claims and accusations regarding his involvement in the unsolved death of Stephen Smith.
Richard "Buster" Murdaugh, the son of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh, has filed a lawsuit against multiple media companies, accusing them of falsely linking him to the unsolved death of Stephen Smith.
The lawsuit, filed in a South Carolina court, names Netflix, Warner Bros., Gannett Co., and Hampton County Guardian editor Michael DeWitt as defendants. Netflix and Warner Bros. are accused of producing documentaries that insinuate Buster Murdaugh's involvement in Smith's death, while DeWitt is alleged to have made defamatory statements in a documentary.
Buster Murdaugh Breaks Silence on Media's Implication in Stephen Smith's Death
Smith, a former classmate of Buster Murdaugh, was found dead on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County in 2015. An autopsy determined that he had been fatally struck by a hit-and-run vehicle.
Investigators initially closed the case as a hit-and-run but reopened it after the double homicide of Buster Murdaugh's mother, Maggie, and brother, Paul, on the family's South Carolina estate in June 2021.
Buster Murdaugh Breaks Silence on Media's Implication in Stephen Smith's Death
The renewed investigation into Smith's death was prompted by unspecified information obtained after the double homicide, but officials found no direct connections between the Murdaughs and Smith's demise.
Buster Murdaugh's lawsuit contends that several media outlets have falsely tied him to Smith's death. Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.'s three-part series "Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty" depicts Buster Murdaugh and his friends beating Smith to death with a baseball bat because Smith was gay and insinuates that the two had been lovers.
Buster Murdaugh Breaks Silence on Media's Implication in Stephen Smith's Death
Netflix's "Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal" also shows a figure with red hair carrying a bat, which the lawsuit claims is intended to represent Buster Murdaugh as the murderer.
DeWitt, the Hampton County Guardian editor, is accused of making statements in a documentary that raised suspicions about Buster's ties to Smith's murder.
Buster Murdaugh Breaks Silence on Media's Implication in Stephen Smith's Death
The lawsuit alleges that these false statements have irredeemably damaged Buster Murdaugh's reputation and seeks unspecified damages.
Buster's father, Alex Murdaugh, was convicted of fatally shooting Maggie and Paul Murdaugh in 2021. He is currently facing additional charges related to financial crimes.
Buster Murdaugh Breaks Silence on Media's Implication in Stephen Smith's Death
The defendants in the lawsuit have not yet responded to requests for comment.
The lawsuit raises concerns about the potential for media outlets to spread false and defamatory information, particularly in cases involving high-profile crimes and controversial families like the Murdaughs. It also highlights the importance of due diligence and responsible reporting when dealing with sensitive and potentially life-altering allegations.
Buster Murdaugh Breaks Silence on Media's Implication in Stephen Smith's Death
