Alex Murdaugh, the prominent South Carolina lawyer, took to the witness stand in his double murder trial on Thursday, admitting to financial crimes but denying involvement in the death of his wife and son.

At his more than four-week long trial, Murdaugh pleaded not guilty to killing his son Paul and wife Maggie - admitting only to lying about his whereabouts on the night of their deaths, to pocketing a law firm check, and to stealing from his clients.

"I didn't shoot my wife or my son any time -- ever," Murdaugh said while under cross examination.

He claimed he had been consumed with drug addiction, leading him to continuously lie to the police, his family, and even his own law clients.

"Once I told a lie -- then I told my family -- I had to keep lying."

The prosecution believes Murdaugh killed his wife and son to detract attention away