South Carolina Supreme Court Overturns Alex Murdaugh's Murder Convictions Over Jury Tampering

Alex Murdaugh, the disgraced South Carolina legal scion convicted of killing his wife and son, won a new trial after the state's highest court overturned his murder convictions because of jury tampering.

The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that misconduct by a court official tainted the 2023 trial that sent Murdaugh to prison for life. Former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca "Becky" Hill oversaw the high-profile proceedings and later faced accusations of improperly influencing jurors. The court found that Hill made comments that could have swayed jurors' views of the evidence and pushed them toward a guilty verdict.

Testimony reviewed by the court showed jurors saying Hill told them to "watch him closely," "watch his actions," and not be "fooled" by the defense. One juror recalled Hill saying, "They're going to say things that will try to confuse you. Don't let them confuse you or convince you or throw you off."

The ruling noted that Hill's comments aligned with her desire for a guilty verdict to sell more copies of a book she planned to write. It referenced a post-trial court's finding that Hill was "attracted by the siren call of celebrity" and let her craving for public attention override her oath of office.

"Accordingly, we hold Murdaugh's right to a fair trial by an impartial jury was violated, and the post-trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial," the ruling stated. As a top court official, Hill's words carried unusual weight and cast doubt on whether the jury decided solely on trial evidence.

In December 2025, Hill pleaded guilty to four charges: obstruction of justice and perjury for showing a reporter sealed court exhibit photos and lying about it, plus two counts of misconduct in office for taking bonuses and promoting her trial book through her public role. "There is no excuse for the mistakes I made. I’m ashamed of them and will carry that shame the rest of my life," she said in a statement read to the court. She received three years of probation.

In 2023, Murdaugh was convicted of gunning down his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, at the family’s hunting estate in 2021. The case revealed his opioid addiction and theft of millions in client funds.

Murdaugh remains in prison despite the overturned murder convictions and life sentences. He is serving 27 years in state court after pleading guilty to 22 counts including money laundering and breach of trust. In federal court, he got 40 years for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, to run concurrently with his state time.