Attorneys representing Alex Murdaugh are vehemently opposing former Colleton County clerk, Rebecca “Becky” Hill, claiming she should face accountability for allegedly obstructing Murdaugh’s entitlement to a fair trial.
This assertion was part of a recent legal rebuttal by Murdaugh’s lawyers in response to Hill’s motion to dismiss a civil lawsuit that was filed against her in May.
Murdaugh’s legal representatives argued in their statement that Hill’s dismissal request fails to address the unanimous decision of the South Carolina Supreme Court. The court had found Hill, while serving as the Clerk of Court, covertly manipulated the jury, effectively depriving Murdaugh of his constitutional right to a fair and impartial jury trial. The legal team emphasized, “Ms. Hill now seeks the Court’s blessing to evade accountability for her actions. Such an outcome cannot stand.”
However, Hill has refuted any accusations of jury tampering or infringing on Murdaugh’s rights, as noted in her civil court documents, according to WCJL.
Supreme Court Ruled Becky Hill Impeded Murdaugh’s Right to Fair Trial
Murdaugh’s double murder conviction was reversed by the South Carolina Supreme Court in May, after determining that Hill—responsible for the jury’s integrity—had improperly influenced the proceedings, thereby skewing the balance of justice.
“Our justice system provides—indeed demands—that every person is entitled to a fair trial, which includes an impartial jury untainted by external forces bent on influencing the jury toward a biased verdict,” they wrote in the May 13 opinion. “Although we are aware of the time, money, and effort expended for this lengthy trial, we have no choice but to reverse the denial of Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial due to Hill’s improper external influences on the jury and remand for a new trial.”
Days later, Murdaugh’s attorneys—including Jim Griffin, Dick Harpootlian and Phillip Barber—filed a civil lawsuit against Hill, asking for $600,000 in damages to reimburse him for legal fees expended during the six-week murder trial in 2023.
“Mr. Murdaugh does not allege that Ms. Hill caused his prosecution,” his attorneys wrote in the recent filing, according to FITS News, “his pleaded injury is that the $600,000 he withdrew from his sole remaining asset to defend a constitutionally fair trial was rendered worthless because Ms. Hill corrupted the first attempt at a trial, forcing its vacatur.”
Hill argued in her own filings that Murdaugh’s financial losses could not be traced back to her alleged actions and therefore could not be linked to any harm, WCJL reported.
What is Becky Hill Accused of Doing in Alex Murdaugh’s Murder Trial?
During the trial, one female juror alleged in an affidavit referenced in the supreme court’s opinion that Hill told jurors “not to be fooled” by evidence presented by Murdaugh’s attorneys, urging them to watch Murdaugh “closely” and look at his actions before he took the stand in his own defense.
The juror added that she took the comments to mean that Murdaugh was guilty and felt influenced by Hill’s comments to return a guilty verdict.
“I had questions about Mr. Murdaugh’s guilt,” she admitted in the affidavit, “but voted guilty because I felt pressured by the other jurors.”
Murdaugh’s attorneys have asked the civil court to use the South Carolina Supreme Court’s contention that Hill had engaged in “shocking jury interference” and “violated Mr. Murdaugh’s right to a fair trial by an impartial jury” rather than re-argue the issue in civil court proceedings.
They also argued that Hill’s request to dismiss the lawsuit centered on damages and immunity defenses rather than addressing whether or not she had violated Murdaugh’s rights.
“Ms. Hill’s motion is a makeweight damages motion,” they argued, “masquerading as a motion to dismiss.”
U.S. district judge Richard Gergel will now be tasked with deciding whether to dismiss the lawsuit or allow it to proceed.
Hill pled guilty in December to charges of obstruction of justice and perjury for showing a reporter photographs that had been part of a sealed court record as well as two counts of misconduct in office, according to CNN. The misconduct charges were based on allegations that Hill took bonuses and promoted a book she wrote on the trial using her public position.
When Will Alex Murdaugh Be Retried For Murder?
Murdaugh was convicted in March 2023 of killing his wife Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh and youngest son Paul Murdaugh at the family’s sprawling Colleton County hunting compound in 2021. Both family members were discovered shot to death by dog kennels on the family’s property.
Murdaugh continues to maintain his innocence. After the supreme court’s decision to overturn the verdict, he is expected to go on trial again in April 2027, according to The Associated Press. He has pleaded not guilty.
Murdaugh is already serving a 40-year prison sentence for federal charges of fraud, money laundering, and other financial-related crimes. He is also serving time for state-level financial crime convictions.