Disbarred South Carolina lawyer, Alex Murdaugh, is currently on trial for the murder of his wife and son in June 2021. In his testimony, he admitted to lying to investigators about his whereabouts on the night of the murders but insisted that he did not kill them. His defense strategy is centered on his opioid addiction, which he claims caused him to have "paranoid thinking.". In response to Murdaugh's testimony, Fox News's Judge Jeanine Pirro commented that he had to take the stand and give his version of events because the evidence was "stacked against him." Pirro also praised Murdaugh's performance on the witness stand and referred to him as "one of the best witnesses" she has ever seen.
This paper will provide a rhetorical analysis of Judge Jeanine Pirro's commentary on Murdaugh's testimony in his double murder trial. The analysis will focus on the rhetorical strategies employed by Pirro to persuade her audience, which includes Fox News viewers, to believe in Murdaugh's innocence. The paper will also consider the rhetorical context of Pirro's commentary, including the audience, genre, and purpose.
Pirro's commentary on Murdaugh's testimony employs various rhetorical appeals, including logos, ethos, and pathos. Logos refers to the use of logic or reason to persuade an audience. Pirro uses logos when she acknowledges that the
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It is a short, opinionated piece intended to offer a perspective on a current news event. Pirro's role as a former prosecutor lends her credibility and ethos, which she uses to support her argument. However, as a commentator on a conservative news network, Pirro's analysis is also aimed at a particular audience. Her use of emotionally charged language and appeals to pathos are designed to resonate with conservative viewers who may be more inclined to sympathize with Murdaugh and view him as a victim of a biased criminal justice