Overview
- U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel dismissed Alex Murdaugh’s federal civil suit on Wednesday, ruling the former Colleton County clerk Becky Hill did not proximately cause the roughly $600,000 he spent on his 2023 murder defense.
- The ruling was issued without prejudice, allowing Murdaugh to refile or pursue other claims, and his attorneys filed a notice of appeal to the Fourth Circuit shortly after the dismissal.
- Judge Gergel’s analysis focused on standing and causation, noting Hill did not bring the criminal charges or prosecute the case so Murdaugh would have needed to hire lawyers regardless of her conduct.
- Murdaugh said he liquidated a retirement account to pay the fees for the first trial, his murder convictions were vacated by the South Carolina Supreme Court in May, and a retrial is set for April 5, 2027 while he remains jailed on separate federal and state financial‑crime sentences.
- The decision narrows options for recovering past trial costs from court officers but leaves open potential claims tied to future expenses and does not resolve the underlying constitutional allegations on their merits.