The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the murder convictions and life sentence of disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh in the shooting deaths of his wife and younger son. In a unanimous ruling, the justices determined that the conduct by the court clerk “egregiously attacked Murdaugh’s credibility” by suggesting to jurors that his testimony could not be trusted. They also found that the trial judge overstepped by allowing evidence of Murdaugh’s financial crimes into the murder trial.
Impact of the Ruling
Despite the overturned convictions, Murdaugh will not be released from prison. The 57-year-old pleaded guilty to stealing approximately $12 million from his clients and is currently serving a 40-year federal sentence. The state Supreme Court’s decision, however, marks a significant victory for Murdaugh, who admits to being a thief, liar, insurance cheat, and bad lawyer, but has consistently denied killing his wife Maggie and younger son Paul since discovering their bodies outside their home in 2021.
Role of the Court Clerk
The justices ruled that Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill, who was assigned to oversee the evidence and jury during the trial, influenced jurors to find Murdaugh guilty. Hill allegedly hoped to boost sales of a book she was writing about the case. She has since pleaded guilty to lying about her statements and actions to a different judge.
Defense Arguments
Murdaugh’s lawyers argued before the high court that the judge at his 2023 trial made rulings that prevented a fair trial, particularly by allowing evidence of Murdaugh stealing from clients, which was unrelated to the killings but biased jurors against him. They highlighted the lack of physical evidence, noting that no DNA or blood was found on Murdaugh or his clothing, despite the killings occurring at close range with powerful weapons that were never recovered.
Prosecution Response
Prosecutors contended that the clerk’s comments were fleeting and that the evidence against Murdaugh was overwhelming. However, Murdaugh’s lawyer countered that the comments, which included urging jurors to watch Murdaugh’s body language and listen carefully to his testimony, removed his presumption of innocence before the jury ever deliberated.
