Court rejects latest appeal from Russell Laffitte for retrial

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- A federal judge on Monday rejected the latest appeal from former Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte for a retrial.

Laffitte filed a second motion for retrial in March, claiming his name was cleared during testimony in the double-murder trial of co-conspirator Alex Murdaugh.

The former banker was found guilty in November of six federal financial crimes for his role in helping Murdaugh steal millions of dollars from clients.

He argued that Murduagh’s admission during testimony to the slew of financial crimes for which he is charged, many of which involved Laffitte, should be considered new evidence and warranted a new trial.

However, Judge Richard Gergel disagreed, arguing that Laffitte was not entitled to a new trial because Murdaugh’s testimony did not meet the necessary legal standard of “newly discovered evidence” and Murdaugh not being a credible witness.

“Weighing the newly offered trial testimony of Murdaugh against the voluminous evidence offered at Defendant’s trial, the Court finds that Defendant cannot carry his burden of establishing that he would probably be acquitted in a new trial on any of the six counts of conviction if Murdaugh testified on his behalf at a new trial,” the order reads in part.

A previous request for a retrial was also denied.

News 2 has reached out to Laffitte’s attorneys for comment.