Alex Murdaugh, the disgraced South Carolina lawyer convicted of murdering his wife and son, will not be granted a new trial. This decision comes despite allegations of jury tampering by Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill. A retired South Carolina Supreme Court judge dismissed the motion for a new trial, stating that while Hill made inappropriate comments, they did not influence the jury’s guilty verdict. This ruling means Murdaugh remains convicted for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, and will continue serving his life sentences.
Allegations of Jury Tampering by Clerk Rebecca Hill
Murdaugh’s legal team argued for a new trial based on claims that Rebecca Hill, the clerk of court, improperly influenced the jury. According to court documents, Murdaugh’s attorneys, Richard Harpootlian and James Griffin, asserted that Hill advised jurors not to believe the defense’s evidence, pressured them for a quick guilty verdict, and misrepresented information to the trial judge to remove a juror perceived as favorable to the defense. They suggested Hill’s motives were to secure a book deal and media attention, alleging she “betrayed her oath of office for money and fame.” Hill indeed released a book about the trial titled Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders.
During a hearing to consider the motion, Juror Z testified that comments from Hill did influence her guilty verdict, suggesting Hill made it seem as if Murdaugh was already guilty. However, the other eleven jurors denied that Hill’s comments affected their decision. Juror Z also mentioned feeling pressured by other jurors to reach a guilty verdict.
Judge Toal’s Ruling: No Impact on Verdict
Retired South Carolina Supreme Court Justice Jean Toal presided over the hearing and delivered the ruling against a new trial. While Justice Toal acknowledged Hill was “not completely credible” and was “attracted by the siren call of celebrity,” she concluded that Hill’s “fleeting and foolish comments” did not substantively impact the jury’s verdict.
Justice Toal addressed Juror Z’s claim of pressure from fellow jurors, stating that such pressure is a normal part of jury deliberations and not grounds for court intervention. After reviewing the entire trial transcript, Justice Toal emphasized the overwhelming evidence against Murdaugh, stating, “I simply do not believe that the authority of our South Carolina Supreme Court requires a new trial in a very lengthy trial, such as this, on the strength of some fleeting and foolish comments by a publicity-seeking clerk of court.” She concluded that “the evidence was overwhelming and the jury verdict not surprising.”
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Rebecca Hill’s Testimony and Plagiarism Accusations
During the hearing, Rebecca Hill testified and denied all allegations of influencing the jury. “I did not have a conversation with any juror about any topic related to this case,” Hill stated under oath. However, Barnwell County court clerk Rhonda McElveen testified that Hill had discussed writing a book about the trial before it began, suggesting a guilty verdict would increase book sales.
Furthermore, Hill faced accusations of plagiarizing a portion of her book from a BBC News article. NBC News reported that Hill allegedly made around $100,000 from book sales before they were suspended due to these plagiarism claims.
Murdaugh’s Current Situation: Prison and Financial Crimes
Alex Murdaugh is currently incarcerated in a maximum-security prison in South Carolina, serving two life sentences for the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh, convicted in March of the previous year. He was moved to a protective custody unit within the prison in April.
In addition to the murder convictions, Murdaugh has also pleaded guilty to 22 financial crimes, including wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. He received a 27-year prison sentence for these financial offenses. Michael Satterfield, the son of Murdaugh’s deceased housekeeper Gloria Satterfield, addressed Murdaugh at his financial crimes sentencing, accusing him of lying, cheating, and stealing. Judge Clifton Newman, who presided over both the murder and financial crimes cases, expressed his disbelief at the extent of Murdaugh’s crimes.
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In conclusion, Alex Murdaugh’s request for a new trial has been denied. Despite the serious allegations of jury tampering against the clerk of court, the judge determined that these actions did not undermine the jury’s verdict, which was based on overwhelming evidence presented during the trial. Murdaugh will remain in prison, serving his sentences for both murder and numerous financial crimes, marking a continued chapter of legal consequences for his actions.
