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Alex Murdaugh Sues Ex–Court Clerk Becky Hill After Convictions Vacated

The case now moves toward a retrial under stricter limits on motive evidence with prosecutors weighing the death penalty.

FILE - Disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh arrives in court in Beaufort, S.C., Sept. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/James Pollard, File)
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Alex Murdaugh is seen at his murder trial on February 24, 2023, at the Colleton County Courthouse in South Carolina.
Alex Murdaugh reacts as he addresses the court during his sentencing for stealing from 18 clients, at the Beaufort County Courthouse in Beaufort, S.C., on Nov. 28, 2023.

Overview

  • Murdaugh filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit Monday in South Carolina, accusing former Colleton County clerk Becky Hill of violating his right to a fair trial by steering jurors against him.
  • The complaint cites Hill’s alleged comments telling jurors not to be ‘fooled’ by the defense and her private talks with the foreperson, and it seeks more than $600,000 plus punitive damages and legal fees.
  • His lawyers said any recovery would go to creditors and victims of his financial crimes, and they plan to use civil subpoenas and depositions to investigate whether anyone else was involved in the alleged jury influence.
  • The South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously threw out the 2023 murder verdicts on May 13, faulting Hill’s conduct and directing a retrial with a far narrower use of Murdaugh’s financial-crimes evidence as motive.
  • State prosecutors say they will retry the case and are considering the death penalty, while the defense rejects any plea, signals a push for a new venue, and notes Murdaugh remains imprisoned on separate 27- and 40-year sentences for fraud.