South Carolina Supreme Court orders new trial for Alex Murdaugh over judicial misconduct
The state’s highest court has vacated the 2023 murder convictions of the disgraced lawyer, finding that Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill denied him a fair trial by an impartial jury.
The South Carolina Supreme Court has unanimously overturned the 2023 murder convictions of Alex Murdaugh, ordering a new trial for the June 2021 killings of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. In a 5-0 ruling, the court determined that the former lawyer was denied his constitutional right to a fair trial due to significant misconduct by Colleton County Clerk of Court, Rebecca Hill.
The justices found that Hill, who pleaded guilty last December to misconduct in office, obstruction of justice, and perjury, effectively placed her fingers on the scales of justice. The court noted that Hill’s actions during the six-week trial undermined the proceedings, despite the skillful presentation of cases by both the state and the defence.
Jurors testified that Hill made comments suggesting Murdaugh was guilty and urging a swift verdict. One juror stated in an affidavit that Hill told them to "watch [Murdaugh] closely," influencing their decision to convict. Other jurors reported that Hill told them not to be fooled by the defence team’s evidence and remarked that deliberations "shouldn't take us long."
In addition to the clerk’s conduct, the court ruled that evidence from Murdaugh’s separate federal financial crimes trial was improperly admitted during the murder proceedings. The justices stated that this inclusion created a "considerable danger of unfair prejudice," noting that the jury heard extensive accusations that Murdaugh stole from law partners and clients to fund an extravagant lifestyle and painkiller addiction.
Murdaugh, 56, remains imprisoned, serving two life sentences for the murders and an additional 40 years for federal financial crimes. The Supreme Court did not overturn the financial convictions but ordered a new trial specifically for the murders. Hill, who published a tell-all book about the proceedings after the trial, denied most of the comments attributed to her, though she admitted to speaking about the trial’s significance within earshot of jurors.
