South Carolina Supreme Court Overturns Alex Murdaugh Murder Conviction

The South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously overturned Alex Murdaugh’s double-murder conviction on May 13, ruling that the trial was tainted by the conduct of Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill.

The court said Hill’s actions crossed ethical and constitutional lines and denied Murdaugh a fair trial by an impartial jury. Justices described her conduct as a “breathtaking and disgraceful effort” to interfere with the jury process, calling it unprecedented in South Carolina.

Jurors testified that Hill told them not to be “fooled” by Murdaugh’s defense and instructed them to “watch him closely,” “look at his actions,” and “look at his movements” while he testified. One alternate juror recalled Hill warning jurors not to let the defense confuse or convince them.

The court found that Hill “essentially implored the jurors to find him guilty” and acted as a character witness for the state by encouraging jurors to question Murdaugh’s credibility.

Hill co-authored a book about the trial and granted favors to media members while cultivating attention around the case. A fellow court official testified that Hill hoped the book would earn enough money to buy a lake house and believed a guilty verdict would improve sales.

The justices concluded that Hill “was attracted by the siren call of celebrity” and allowed her desire for public attention to overcome her duty to her oath of office. They also noted that Hill’s denial of making inappropriate comments lacked credibility.

Hill previously pleaded guilty to four charges, including obstruction of justice and perjury for showing a reporter sealed court exhibits and then lying about it, plus two counts of misconduct in office for taking bonuses and promoting her book through her public office. She was sentenced to three years of probation.

Murdaugh remains in prison serving sentences for financial crimes. He received 27 years in state court after pleading guilty to 22 counts including money laundering and breach of trust, and a concurrent 40-year federal sentence for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.