The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh’s double murder convictions and life sentence, ordering a new trial in the killings of his wife and son.
In the latest twist in a winding legal saga, the state’s top court ruled that Murdaugh was denied his right to a fair trial because of Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill’s “improper external influences on the jury.”
“Hill placed her fingers on the scales of justice,” the court wrote in its unanimous decision, accusing her of “shocking” interference by suggesting to jurors that they could not trust Murdaugh’s testimony.
South Carolina’s attorney general said he “respectfully” disagreed with the court’s decision and vowed to “aggressively seek to retry” Murdaugh “as soon as possible.”
“No one is above the law and, as always, we will continue to fight for justice,” Alan Wilson said in a statement.
In a statement, Murdaugh’s legal team celebrated the court’s ruling. “We look forward to a new trial conducted consistent with the Constitution and the guidance this Court has provided,” his lawyers said in part.
Murdaugh was convicted two years ago in the June 2021 slayings of his wife, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, and their 22-year-old son, Paul Murdaugh, in a trial that drew national attention.
In the case, prosecutors accused Murdaugh of carrying out the killings to earn pity and distract from financial crimes that threatened to derail his public reputation.
The jury convicted the former personal injury lawyer on two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He had pleaded not guilty.
The scion of a prominent South Carolina legal dynasty, Murdaugh has vehemently denied killing his wife and younger son since their bodies were discovered in their estate.
“I respect this court, but I’m innocent,” Murdaugh told a judge during his sentencing in March 2023. “I would never under any circumstances hurt my wife, Maggie, and I would never under any circumstances hurt my son Paul Paul.”
But the judge, Clifton Newman, responded with a forceful rebuke of Murdaugh and alluded to the defendant’s addiction to prescription painkillers.
“It might not have been you,” Newman said. “It might have been the monster you’ve become when you take 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 opioid pills. Maybe you become another person. I’ve seen that before.
“The person standing before me was not the person who committed the crime, though is the same individual,” Newman added.
Wednesday’s ruling does not mean Murdaugh will walk free. He is serving a 40-year federal sentence after pleading guilty to stealing some $12 million from his clients. He is also serving a concurrent 27-year sentence after pleading guilty in a state financial crimes case.
Eric Bland, a lawyer who represents some of Murdaugh’s financial crimes victims, said his clients have “forgiven Alex, but they have not forgotten what he has done. They will go through the process again.”
Hill, for her part, pleaded guilty last year to criminal charges for showing sealed court exhibits to a photographer and lying about it in court. She was sentenced to a year of probation.
“There is no excuse for the mistakes I made. I’m ashamed of them,” Hill said in a short statement to the court.
Hill’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Neil R. Gordon, who co-wrote a book with Hill about the case, told NBC News he was not surprised to learn Murdaugh’s convictions were overturned because of his former collaborator’s “conduct.” Gordon halted publication of the book after he learned about her official misconduct and what he characterized as plagiarism.
The story of the Murdaugh family has riveted people far beyond South Carolina Lowcountry. The sprawling legal drama has been adapted into podcasts, books and a Hulu miniseries starring Jason Clarke and Patricia Arquette.
Murdaugh’s father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather were each elected as top prosecutors in the region, burnishing a family reputation that eventually crumbled.
