The latest development in the Alex Murdaugh story was a ruling by the highest court in South Carolina reversing his conviction for the 2022 murder of his wife and son.
An elected county court clerk was accused of tampering with the jury process by hinting to sitting panelists that Murdaugh was guilty — a stunning betrayal of the public’s trust that the court said denied him a fair trial.
The clerk, Rebecca Hill, faced her own investigation and resigned.
In this episode, legal expert and retired chief judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals James Lockemy discusses the Murdaugh reversal with The Trial: USA’s Kayla Brantley.
The episode breaks down Hill’s flagrant conduct which included plans for a behind-the-scenes book during the trial.
Evidence presented in post-trial proceedings examined how Hill hoped to profit from the publication, which was released six months after the trial but later pulled from circulation.
Hill pleaded guilty in December to obstruction of justice and perjury for releasing graphic, sealed crime scene photos to the media and lying about it under oath at a 2024 hearing. The ex-official also admitted to improperly awarding herself cash bonuses.
Murdaugh’s increasingly complicated prosecution is now headed toward a retrial. He could also now face the possibility of a death sentence if convicted again.
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