A South Carolina judge has ordered podcaster Mandy Matney to pay $171,500 in attorneys' fees and costs, along with a $5,000 fine, after finding her in civil contempt for failing to comply with a subpoena related to the Murdaugh family litigation. Circuit Judge R. Keith Kelly determined that Matney willfully ignored a valid subpoena and a previous court order requiring her appearance for a deposition, dismissing her claims of safety concerns as insufficient justification for her actions.
The contempt ruling is connected to ongoing civil litigation stemming from a 2019 boat crash that resulted in the death of Mallory Beach. Matney was subpoenaed as a non-party witness in a case involving allegations against Parker's convenience stores for selling alcohol to the underage Paul Murdaugh prior to the incident.
Judge Kelly noted that Matney did not appear at the designated deposition site on March 27, despite being aware that her attempts to quash the subpoena had been denied. Instead, she participated via Zoom from a different law office. The judge found her explanation regarding safety concerns unconvincing, citing a lack of evidence supporting her claims of harassment by Parker's attorneys.
The judge also referenced Matney's social media activity following the deposition, which included posts that contradicted her claims of fear for her safety. Initially, Parker's attorneys sought over $310,000 in fees, but the judge reduced the amount awarded to $171,500, along with the additional fine. Matney expressed her dissatisfaction with the ruling on social media, labeling the South Carolina justice system as corrupt.