Alex Murdaugh living 'in luxury' in prison as appeals process approaches

Alex Murdaugh doesn't seem to be doing too badly in prison after being convicted of murdering his wife and son – according to a new report from NBC, state records show him playing chess and working in prison.

Murdaugh's attorney Jim Griffin told NBC that Murdaugh was at the chessboard “all the time,” adding, “He said, 'There are really good chess players there.'”

Murdaugh also works as a prison guard's assistant, which, according to the South Carolina Department of Corrections, earns him work credits that will help reduce his prison sentence.

“Alex is an easy-going guy. I'm sure he's made friends,” Griffin added, although Murdaugh is “completely locked in his cell and unable to move” from Friday to Monday.

Attorney Aimee Zmroczek, who represents Murdaugh’s longtime friend Curtis Eddie Smith, whom he allegedly paid to kill him, told the Surviving the Survivor Podcast on Wednesday that Murdaugh is “living a great life” in prison.

“I was actually in jail yesterday… Let me tell you, he runs this place,” she said on the podcast. Zmroczek claimed that Murdaugh was running a “side gambling scheme.”

Griffin responded to Zmroczek's comments by saying, “She doesn't know what the hell she's talking about,” adding, “The Murdaugh economy keeps going. It's just noise, it doesn't matter.”

The latest report on Murdaugh's life behind bars comes after his former roommate spoke to the media last year, telling 11Alive News, “Man, this guy, you won't believe how they treat this guy.”

Murdaugh was reportedly given a tablet on his first day on the yard, although it took the other inmates 60 days to get theirs. The roommate reported that the tablet, unlike Murdaugh's, was not new.

“The guy (Murdaugh) gets up in the morning and plays chess with an inmate for a couple of hours, then he has a guy who does his laundry. I mean, everyone takes care of him,” the roommate added.

Murdaugh also spends a lot of money in the cafeteria, buying others what they want, fully exploiting the $150 weekly limit.

Last week, the South Carolina Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal against Murduagh. His lawyers argue that Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill tampered with the jury after telling them not to trust Murdaugh's testimony, according to the Associated Press.