Alex Murdaugh’s Double Murder Conviction Overturned, New Trial Ordered

Alex Murdaugh‘s double-murder conviction was overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, May 13, with the court ordering a new trial.

The ruling sided with Murdaugh’s appeal, which argued former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill improperly influenced jurors, according to a People report.

Murdaugh, 57, once a prominent South Carolina attorney from the well-known Murdaugh family, has been behind bars since March 2023 after receiving two consecutive life sentences for the June 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22. The killings took place at the family’s hunting property in South Carolina.

Just minutes before the shooting, Paul sent a Snapchat video to a friend that reportedly placed Murdaugh at the scene shortly before the murders occurred.

Following his conviction, Murdaugh’s legal team quickly filed an appeal, alleging Hill made inappropriate comments to jurors about the disbarred attorney and violated his Sixth Amendment right to a fair and impartial trial.

Hill was accused of urging jurors “not to be fooled” by Murdaugh’s “tearful testimony” claiming he was innocent. Prosecutors previously argued there was no evidence suggesting that Hill’s alleged comments affected the jury’s verdict.

As In Touch previously reported, Hill released a self-published book about Murdaugh, titled Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders.

Renowned New York City attorney Peter Gleason previously told In Touch exclusively that if the accusation against Hill were proven true, a new trial would be required.

“If they indeed have a court official influencing or attempting to influence a jury, that is outrageous misconduct that would warrant a new trial,” Gleason said. “And if it is true, this clerk should face criminal consequences!”

Murdaugh’s murder trial gripped the nation during its six-week run in early 2023 and it saw the disgraced attorney taking the stand. He has consistently maintained his innocence and continues to deny killing his wife and son.

Despite the overturned conviction, Murdaugh will remain in prison. In addition to the murder case, he is serving prison sentences tied to numerous financial crimes, including 27 years on state charges and 40 years on federal charges. He was found guilty of stealing money from clients and his law firm before and after Maggie and Paul’s deaths.

In addition to Paul, Maggie and Alex shared another son, Richard Alexander “Buster” Murdaugh Jr.