In a significant turn of events, the South Carolina Supreme Court has nullified the murder conviction of Alex Murdaugh, who was found guilty in March 2023 of the double homicide of his wife and son. The court’s decision to order a retrial stems from concerns over the conduct of Mary Rebecca “Becky” Hill, the court clerk in Colleton County, who was found to have exerted “improper external influences” during the original proceedings.
Murdaugh, who was convicted of the June 2021 killings of his wife Maggie and son Paul, was present during a hearing on January 16, 2024, at the Richland County Judicial Center in Columbia, South Carolina. Federal prosecutors have accused Murdaugh of failing to disclose the location of $6 million he allegedly embezzled and are questioning whether an unnamed attorney was involved in these financial crimes. They are seeking to revoke a plea agreement related to these federal charges, as indicated in court documents.
The decision from the state’s highest court was unanimous, reflecting the gravity of the concerns raised. “Despite the considerable resources invested in this protracted trial, we are compelled to overturn the denial of Murdaugh’s request for a retrial,” the justices stated. “This decision is due to Hill’s inappropriate influence on the jury, necessitating a new trial.”
The state supreme court voted unanimously on the decision.
“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,” their ruling said.
A post-trial court found that Hill “made improper comments to the jurors on the day Murdaugh testified, e.g., ‘this is an important day’ or ‘this is an epic day’ and that they should watch Murdaugh’s body language, on the day of he testified in his own defense.
Alex Murdaugh attends his sentencing at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., on March 3, 2023, after being convicted on all four counts in a double murder trial and sentenced to life in prison. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool)
Hill pleaded guilty to four charges — obstruction of justice and perjury for showing a reporter photographs that were sealed court exhibits and then lying about it, plus two counts of misconduct in office for taking bonuses and promoting a book she wrote on the trial through her public office — in December.
Murdaugh was sentenced in 2023 to two consecutive life sentences for murdering his wife and son. He is also serving an additional 40 years in prison for his financial crimes and remains in custody at a maximum-security prison in South Carolina.