Judge Rejects Alex Murdaugh's Bid for New Trial Amid Jury Tampering Claims
A judge has denied a request for a retrial for Alex Murdaugh, the South Carolina lawyer found guilty of murdering his wife, Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh, in 2021. Murdaugh's defense team had moved for a new trial, alleging jury tampering by Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill, who they claimed influenced the jury's decision due to her vested interest in a book deal. Hill, who testified during a hearing, denied these allegations and revealed that she earned about $100,000 from her self-published book, which has since been pulled from sales following a plagiarism issue.
During the proceedings, 11 out of the 12 jurors denied that Hill's conduct had any influence on their verdict. However, one juror admitted under oath to being influenced by comments made by Hill. Despite this admission, the court upheld Murdaugh's conviction, for which he received two consecutive life sentences. Murdaugh's attorneys had argued that the jury was improperly exposed to his financial crimes, but the judge maintained the verdict.
In the backdrop of the trial, Rebecca Hill is under investigation by a state police agency for her alleged role in influencing the jury. No charges have been filed against Hill to date. Even if Murdaugh had been granted a retrial and subsequently acquitted, he would still face a 27-year prison sentence for separate convictions related to embezzling $12 million from his law firm and clients.
