Buster Murdaugh sues media companies, alleging defamation
HAMPTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Buster Murdaugh, the only surviving son of disbarred attorney and convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix, Warner Brothers and the Hampton County Guardian newspaper, which is published by Gannett.
The lawsuit said multiple media companies including Warner Brothers, Netflix and Gannett, and journalist Michael DeWitt Jr. “falsely accused” him of being involved in the killing of Stephen Smith.
On July 8, 2015, Smith’s body was found on Sandy Run Road in Hampton County, South Carolina. An autopsy determined Smith died from injuries after he was struck by a vehicle.
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South Carolina Law Enforcement Division reopened the case in June 2021 shortly after the killings of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh based on information discovered during the initial investigation. Investigators have not said what information they found during the Murdaugh investigation that led them to reopen the Smith case.
The lawsuit lists Blackfin, Inc., Warner Brothers, Discovery, Inc., Warner Media Entertainment Pages, Inc., Campfire Studio, Inc., The Cinemart LLC, Netlfix, Inc. and Gannett Co., Inc. as defendants.
Warner Brothers, Discovery, Inc. and Blackfin Inc. produced the series “Murdaugh Murders: Deadly Dynasty,” which, according to suit, includes a 10-minute segment that alluded to Buster Murdaugh as the killer of Smith. The series was distributed through Discovery+ and the Investigation Discovery channel.
Warner Brothers, Discovery, Inc. and Campfire Studios Inc. created and produced “Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty.” The lawsuit saids that the series contains allegations and false statements that suggest Buster Murdaugh, along with his friends, killed Smith by striking him with a baseball bat.
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According to the suit, the show accused Buster Murdaugh of slaying Stephen Smith because of his sexual identity. The series was distributed through the streaming service Max.
Netflix’s series “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” depicts “a young man with red hair carrying a baseball bat,” the lawsuit said. The series also includes statements that imply the Murdaughs, specifically Buster Murdaugh, were involved in Smith’s death. The Cinemart LLC created, produced and profited from the series.
DeWitt, the only individual listed in the suit, appeared in the Netflix series and discussed his time as an editor of the Hampton County Guardian.
In the documentary, DeWitt was recorded saying the following:
- “We were hearing all of these rumors about a possible connection.”
- “There is some truth to it.”
- “We could not put the Murdaugh name in the story unless we wanted to face lawsuits. We said a prominent, well-known family was rumored to be involved. Everyone knew who we were talking about. We published the story and we waited. People would come up to me in the Piggly Wiggly and pat me on the back. ‘We’re so thankful you had the courage to run the story.’ We did everything but put the Murdaugh name in the story.”
- “I began to have a bad taste in my mouth about the of the Murdaugh family as many people in the community did.”
“The statements were made with reckless indifference to the truth,” the lawsuit said about DeWitt’s time on the documentary.
The lawsuit said Buster Murdaugh’s reputation has been “irreparably damaged, and he has suffered mental anguish.” Attorneys for Buster Murdaugh are seeking actual damages, punitive damages and the costs of the lawsuit.
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