The South Carolina Supreme Court has overturned the murder convictions of Alex Murdaugh, citing 'shocking jury interference' by a court clerk during his trial. The disgraced attorney was convicted in 2023 for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, in 2021, and sentenced to two life terms.
In a unanimous opinion, the justices ruled that Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill engaged in 'improper external influences on the jury,' undermining Murdaugh's right to a fair trial. The court stated that Hill's actions 'egregiously attacked Murdaugh's credibility and his defense,' triggering a presumption of prejudice that the state could not rebut.
The decision does not mean Murdaugh will be released from prison. He is currently serving a 40-year federal sentence for financial crimes, including stealing millions from clients and his law firm, and a separate 27-year state sentence for similar offences.
Hill resigned from her post and pleaded guilty in December to criminal charges for showing sealed court exhibits to a photographer and lying about it, as well as misconduct for taking bonuses and promoting a book she wrote about the trial. She received three years of probation.
The Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for Murdaugh on the murder charges, noting that the double jeopardy clause does not apply as the reversal was due to trial errors.
