The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh’s double murder convictions and life sentence, ordering a new trial in the killings of his wife and son.
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In the latest twist in a winding legal saga, the state’s top court ruled that Murdaugh was denied his right to a fair trial because of Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill’s “improper external influences on the jury.”
“Hill placed her fingers on the scales of justice,” the court wrote in its unanimous decision, accusing her of “shocking” interference by suggesting to jurors that they could not trust Murdaugh’s testimony.
Jim Griffin, Murdaugh’s lawyer, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Paul, Margaret and Alex Murdaugh.via Facebook
Murdaugh was convicted two years ago in the June 2021 slayings of his wife, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, and their 22-year-old son, Paul Murdaugh, in a trial that drew national attention.
In the case, prosecutors accused Murdaugh of carrying out the killings to earn pity and distract from financial crimes that threatened to derail his public reputation.
The jury convicted the former personal injury lawyer on two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He had pleaded not guilty.
The scion of a prominent South Carolina legal dynasty, Murdaugh has vehemently denied killing his wife and younger son since their bodies were discovered outside their home.
Wednesday’s ruling does not mean Murdaugh will walk free. He is serving a 40-year federal sentence after pleading guilty to stealing some $12 million from his clients.
Hill, for her part, pleaded guilty last year to criminal charges for showing sealed court exhibits to a photographer and lying about it in court. She was sentenced to a year of probation.
“There is no excuse for the mistakes I made. I’m ashamed of them,” Hill said in a short statement to the court.
The story of the Murdaugh family has riveted people far beyond South Carolina Lowcountry. The sprawling legal drama has been adapted into podcasts, books, and a Hulu miniseries starring Jason Clarke and Patricia Arquette.
