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7h ago

Federal Judge Dismisses Murdaugh’s $600,000 Lawsuit Against Former Court Clerk

The judge said the clerk’s conduct was not the proximate cause of Murdaugh’s trial costs, leaving the dismissal without prejudice and open to appeal.

FILE- Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill is sworn in before taking the stand to testify during the Alex Murdaugh jury-tampering hearing at the Richland County Judicial Center, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, in Columbia, S.C. Hill, under investigation amid allegations of tampering with the jury in the Alex Murdaugh trial, announced her resignation on Monday, March 25, 2024. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool, File)
Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill takes the stand during the Alex Murdaugh jury-tampering hearing at the Richland County Judicial Center on Monday, January 29, 2024 in Columbia, South Carolina. The hearing allegations against Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill ruled by former S.C. Chief Justice Jean Toal. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool
Becky Hill takes her seat during the Alex Murdaugh jury-tampering hearing at the Richland County Judicial Center on Monday, January 29, 2024 in Columbia, South Carolina. The hearing allegations against Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill ruled by former S.C. Chief Justice Jean Toal. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

Overview

  • U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel threw out Alex Murdaugh’s suit on Wednesday, ruling that Rebecca “Becky” Hill’s alleged juror contacts did not fairly trace to the $600,000 he spent on his first murder trial.
  • Gergel found Murdaugh lacked Article III standing because Hill did not initiate the criminal case and he would have had to hire lawyers regardless of her actions.
  • The dismissal was entered without prejudice, preserving the chance to refile, and Murdaugh’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal to the Fourth Circuit late Wednesday.
  • The ruling only addressed recovery of past trial fees and did not decide the merits of Murdaugh’s constitutional claims or potential damages tied to the retrial scheduled for April 5, 2027.
  • The decision underscores legal limits on holding court staff financially liable when they did not bring charges and could shape future civil claims tied to jury interference rulings.