South Carolina Court Overturns Alex Murdaugh's 2023 Murder Convictions

A South Carolina court overturned the 2023 murder convictions of Alex Murdaugh, the disgraced lawyer found guilty of killing his wife and son.

Murdaugh serves two life sentences in prison for the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. He also received an additional 40 years for federal financial crimes.

The 56-year-old once-powerful lawyer drew global attention with his legal troubles. They inspired documentaries, podcasts and book deals. His trial aired on television.

In a 5-0 decision, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Murdaugh deserves a new trial. The justices found that Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill biased the jury against him.

"Both the State and Murdaugh's defense skillfully presented their cases to the jury as the trial court deftly presided over this complicated and high-profile matter," the justices wrote. "However, their efforts were in vain because Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill placed her fingers on the scales of justice, thereby denying Murdaugh his right to a fair trial by an impartial jury."

One juror stated in an affidavit that Hill told jurors to "watch [Murdaugh] closely." The juror said those comments influenced her guilty verdict because she believed the clerk implied his guilt.

A jury convicted Murdaugh of murdering his wife and son, who suffered close-range gunshot wounds near the family's dog kennels. The six-week trial ended with a life sentence.

Murdaugh's lawyers argued to overturn the conviction that Hill tampered with the jury. They said she told jurors not to trust his testimony and to speed up the verdict.

The justices cited juror testimony that Hill warned them "not to be fooled" by the defense evidence. Jurors also reported that Hill told them at the start of deliberations, "[T]his shouldn't take us long."