Alex Murdaugh's lawyer reveals how murder and terrible death threats have triggered a new career step

Alex Murdaugh's defense lawyer revealed that the media circus in connection with the double murder process of its client inspired him to write a book about one of South Carolina's most notorious serial murderer.

The 75-year-old Dick Harpootlian represented Murdaugh when he was on trial in June 2021 on her extensive 1,800 hectares of hunting in June 2021.

While Murdaugh ultimately received two lifelong prison terms without probation, Harpootlian made headlines during the six -week court proceedings because of his Humor Gallow.

Harpootlian, a former senator of the democratic state, became viral because he showed a rifle to the public prosecutor's bank and at the same time analyzed shots at the crime scene to claim that Murdaugh was too short to be the murderer.

He grinned when he showed the weapon on the law enforcement table and said: “tempting”, which led to a choir of laughter.

The lawyer is no stranger to work in top -class cases, but Harpootlian told Dailymail.com that Murdaugh's case had inspired him to do a new step in a career and write a book.

Before he was a defender, Harpootlian pursued the notorious serial killer and rapist Donald Henry 'Pee Wee' Gaskins.

Gaskins, from which it was known that he murdered at least a dozen people and claimed to have killed over 100, was executed by the state in September 1991.

Harpootlian's new book “Dig Me A Grab” looks at the productive murderer and examines the judicial system and the death penalty.

I have followed the six -week process of gas cins, the longest criminal proceedings in the history of the state. Up until 40 years later, Murdaugh won the award, ”Harpootlian told Dailymail.com.

»After the Murdaugh process … I mean, I was involved in some top-class cases.

“But what is new in this area is the social media context of a live television attempt. And I've never seen anything like this. '

Harpootlian announced that he had the idea to write about Gaskins for years, but he only set out to end it after the Murdaugh process.

“The public interest was obviously huge in the case of the gas kin, but they cannot use the live reporting of the [Murdaugh] Process, ”he said.

“I think that, with Murdaugh, was the understanding that this great interest in true crimes exists, and when I say huge, I never understood how big.

“They are fascinated by it, the secret of it. They are fascinated by the phrases and twists.

Harpootlian explained that during the Murdaaugh he received hundreds of threats and hate mail – but doubled and said he was proud to have represented him.

“What these people don't understand is the best system that was designed by humans [the justice system]. I am proud of this process. I am proud to represent Alex Murdaugh. I am proud to follow Pee Wee Gaskins, «he said.

“I am proud to participate in this system, and the people who do not believe that people who believe they are guilty of deserving a lawyer I would say that they will grow up. Read the constitution. '

Harpootlian announced that the notorious serial killer tried to build a personal relationship with him while pursuing him in 1983 because he had killed a death series inmate while he was imprisoned in South Carolina in the high-security block of the correctional facility.

He said Gaskins was the only defendant he called under her first name. One day the serial killer tried to tell him that they were related souls.

Harpootlian said: “One day we sit there for lunch and [Gaskins] says: “Dick, thick.” I said, “What do you want, pink Wee?” He said, “You know, you are very similar to me, you like to kill it.”

''[Gaskin’s] said: “You kill me.” And I said, “No, no, no, I try to do justice.”

According to Gaskin's conviction, Harpootlian said that the murderer had constantly tried to contact him and even planned to kidnap his young daughter before his execution.

“While I was the lawyer, he tried to kidnap my daughter for two weeks before he was being executed and wanted her to be held hostage so that I would free him. So Gaskin played a dramatic and consistent part of my career. '

In his new book, the death sentence of Impact Gaskins also examines him and his position on this topic.

''[The Gaskins trial] Was an experience that left me an indelible impression when I sentenced someone to death. [Gaskins] Was a murderer, said Harpootlian.

“I am under very limited circumstances for the death penalty. It should be as human as possible. It should be an act of self -defense. '

As a senator of the state, Harpootlian presented the draft law, which was later legalized to the law by dismissing death by dismissing squads in state executions.

“If someone in the world deserved to be executed, it was a guy with his 14th murder when he chased a man in the death cell. Gaskins was, if they are against the death penalty, the exception could be, ”he said.

“But nevertheless the fact that they strapped it on a chair and burned him to death, and it still bothers me.”

Harpootlian was the co-author of the book with the journalist Shaun Asael. 'Dig Me A Grave' is to be published on December 16 and is available for pre -order.