Alex Murdaugh May Get New Trial as South Carolina Supreme Court Revisits Jury Tampering Allegations

Alex Murdaugh, convicted of murdering his wife and son, may soon face a new trial after the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned a previous decision that dismissed allegations of jury tampering.

The defense team had claimed that Rebecca Hill, the former Colleton County Clerk, interfered with the jury during Murdaugh’s initial trial in March 2023. Murdaugh had been found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, but his lawyers believe that Hill’s actions may have influenced the outcome of the trial.

Hill allegedly told jurors not to be swayed by Murdaugh’s emotional testimony, potentially manipulating them into delivering a guilty verdict. She was accused of doing so to boost sales of her self-published book, “Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders.”

Hill’s book was later pulled from publication due to plagiarism, and she resigned from her position in March 2024 after an investigation was opened into her alleged misuse of her elected office for personal gain.

In January, former South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean Toal addressed these tampering accusations but initially found that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to justify a retrial. She reviewed the six-week trial transcript and determined that Hill’s actions, while inappropriate, did not significantly influence the jury’s decision.

However, Murdaugh’s legal team has continued to argue that Hill’s actions could have prejudiced the jury, prompting their appeal for a new trial.

Murdaugh’s lawyers emphasized the significant public interest in the case, highlighting the importance of examining whether a state official’s interference with a jury could warrant overturning the verdict.

They pointed out that the principle of law at stake is whether it is presumptively prejudicial for a state official to secretly push for a guilty verdict by making inappropriate contact with jurors. The defense contends that the mere occurrence of such tampering should be grounds for a retrial, regardless of whether it can be proven that the verdict would have been different without the interference.

The South Carolina Supreme Court is now set to hear arguments on whether Murdaugh should receive a new trial. This decision will weigh the evidence of jury tampering and the broader legal implications of a state official’s inappropriate influence on the judicial process. The case remains under scrutiny due to its high profile and the serious nature of the allegations against Hill.