The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the murder convictions and life sentence of disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh in the 2021 killings of his wife and younger son, ruling that jury interference by a court clerk denied him a fair trial.
In a unanimous decision, the state’s highest court ordered a new trial, citing what the justices described as “improper external influences on the jury” and “shocking jury interference” during the 2023 proceedings, reported the Guardian.
Murdaugh, 57, was convicted of fatally shooting his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, near the kennels of the family’s Colleton County property on June 7, 2021. Maggie Murdaugh. 52. was shot multiple times with a rifle, while Paul Murdaugh, 22, was killed with a shotgun.
The justices said Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill improperly influenced jurors by making comments that undermined Murdaugh’s credibility during the trial.
The court wrote that Hill “placed her fingers on the scales of justice, thereby denying Murdaugh his right to a fair trial by an impartial jury,” the Associated Press reported.
“As her book’s title suggests, it turns out Hill was quite busy behind the doors of justice, thwarting the integrity of the justice system she was sworn to protect and uphold,” the justices said in the unsigned 27-page opinion.
Hill had overseen evidence and jury management during the six-week trial while also writing a book about the case titled Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders. The book was later withdrawn following allegations of plagiarism.
The Supreme Court also criticized the trial judge for allowing extensive evidence about Murdaugh’s financial crimes during the murder trial, saying the evidence unfairly prejudiced jurors against him.
Murdaugh’s attorneys argued that prosecutors failed to present direct physical evidence tying him to the killings. They noted no blood or DNA from the victims was found on Murdaugh or his clothing, despite the close-range shootings. The weapons used in the killings were never recovered.
Prosecutors had maintained that the evidence against Murdaugh was overwhelming and argued the clerk’s comments to jurors were brief and insignificant. But the Supreme Court disagreed, finding the conduct serious enough to compromise the fairness of the trial.
“Although we are aware of the time, money, and effort expended for this lengthy trial, we have no choice but to reverse the denial of Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial,” the justices wrote, CNN reported.
Despite the ruling, Murdaugh is expected to remain in prison. He previously pleaded guilty to financial crimes involving the theft of approximately $12 million from clients and is serving concurrent federal and state prison sentences, including a 40-year federal term.
Prosecutors did not immediately say whether they plan to retry Murdaugh on the murder charges.
The case has drawn nationwide attention through documentaries, podcasts, and books examining the downfall of the once-prominent South Carolina legal family. Murdaugh’s father, grandfather, and great-grandfather collectively served as elected prosecutors in the region for more than 80 years.
The court praised prosecutors, defense attorneys, and the trial judge for their work during the original proceedings while placing responsibility for the reversal on Hill’s actions.
“Our justice system provides — indeed demands — that every person is entitled to a fair trial,” the ruling stated, AP reported.
