Alex Murdaugh Murder Convictions Overturned After Jury Interference Ruling
The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions in the 2021 killings of his wife Maggie and son Paul, ruling that jury interference denied him a fair trial.
In a unanimous decision, the court said former Colleton County Clerk Rebecca “Becky” Hill improperly influenced jurors during Murdaugh’s nationally watched 2023 trial. Justices wrote that Hill’s conduct “egregiously attacked” Murdaugh’s credibility and created unfair prejudice inside the jury room.
The ruling vacates Murdaugh’s double-murder convictions and orders a new trial.
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Prosecutors said they plan to retry the case.
Murdaugh will remain in prison regardless of the ruling because he is separately serving lengthy state and federal sentences tied to financial crimes involving the theft of millions of dollars from clients and associates.
The original trial became one of the most closely followed true-crime cases in the country, drawing massive television, streaming, and podcast attention.
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