Mallory Beach wrongful death suit finally heading to trial in August

HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial is now four months in the rearview. Less than six weeks ahead, though, is another case he’s at the center.

Inside the Hampton County Courthouse on Aug. 14, the wrongful death trial of Mallory Beach is set to begin. You might remember, four years ago Beach was killed in a boat wreck. Alex Murdaugh’s since murdered son Paul was charged with driving that boat under the influence and underage.

A month and a half from trial, the lawyer representing Mallory’s family said this is about a cause, not a case.

“This is about making sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else’s daughter or son,” attorney Mark Tinsley said.

Less than a month and a half from now, this courtroom will be filled. Less than half a year from when Mallory’s family watched Alex Murdaugh be handed down back-to-back life sentences for murder one county over.

“It was a lot it was a lot to deal with but they’re thankful... they’re thankful good is coming out of such tragedy,” Tinsley said.

Her wrongful death suit is a civil case, initially naming a handful of defendants the family alleges are responsible for that tragic night.

Paul Murdaugh was seen in surveillance video illegally buying alcohol at two different places before driving that boat, including a Parker’s convenience store, who the family attorney says should now be held accountable for Mallory’s death.

“If you don’t train for that, if you don’t have policies in place to look for that to identify that then it’s going to keep happening,” Tinsley said.

RELATED STORY >>> Judge denies motion to remove attorneys representing Beach family

This is the cause Tinsley says is a priority of their case, saying minor’s ability to buy alcohol is a plight of our country.

“We’ve gone after and we’ve sued every single person that could be sued under our law that there was a claim against to the extent that they contributed ever so slightly or in a greater percentage in fault of causing this,” Tinsley said.

The Beach family attorney says out of all those people he’s sued there are two that will remain defendants in this trial come August - Alex Murdaugh and the Parker’s Corporation.

An attorney representing Parker’s released the following statement after a recent motion to try to dismiss the Beach family attorneys was denied:

“We filed the motion to disqualify Mark Tinsley and Tabor Vaux from this case in order to ensure a fair trial. Subsequently the Judge has made his decision, and we will look forward to presenting our case to a jury next month and exonerating Tajeeha Cohen and Parker’s.”

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