Overview
- Judge Debra McCaslin told lawyers at a status conference on Monday, June 29 that jury selection is tentatively set to begin April 5, 2027 and that she intends to enforce strict deadlines.
- The South Carolina Supreme Court vacated Murdaugh’s 2023 murder convictions in May after finding former Colleton County clerk Becky Hill’s comments to jurors compromised his right to an impartial jury.
- Murdaugh remains jailed on separate federal and state sentences for financial crimes totaling roughly $12 million and will continue serving those terms while the murder case is retried.
- Defense lawyers have filed motions seeking independent testing of unknown male DNA recovered under Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails, a change of venue out of Colleton County, and secure prison laptop access to prepare for trial.
- Prosecutors say they will retry the case using much of the same evidence that led to the original conviction, and the court’s handling of discovery and the pending pretrial motions will shape how quickly the retrial moves forward.