Alex Murdaugh murder conviction overturned, South Carolina Supreme Court orders new trial
The South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously overturned Alex Murdaugh's murder conviction, ordering a new trial due to jury tampering by clerk Becky Hill. Fox News' Madison Scarpino reports as contributor Josh Ritter reacts to the court decision.
Alex Murdaugh, the disgraced South Carolina legal scion convicted of killing his wife and son, is getting a second shot in court after the state’s highest court tossed his murder convictions over jury tampering.
The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that misconduct by a court official tainted the 2023 trial that sent Murdaugh away for life.
At the center of the stunning reversal is former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca "Becky" Hill, who oversaw the blockbuster proceedings and was later accused of improperly influencing jurors. According to the court, Hill made comments that could have swayed how jurors viewed the evidence and pushed them toward a guilty verdict.
Alex Murdaugh is brought into the courtroom during a jury-tampering hearing at the Richland County Judicial Center in Columbia, S.C., on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier)
According to testimony reviewed by the court, jurors said Hill told them to "watch him closely," "watch his actions," and not be "fooled" by the defense.
ALEX MURDAUGH'S DOUBLE MURDER CONVICTION UNANIMOUSLY OVERTURNED BY SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT
One juror recalled "that Hill told the jurors not to be fooled by the evidence Murdaugh's defense presented," according to the document, saying, "They're going to say things that will try to confuse you. Don't let them confuse you or convince you or throw you off."
The documents say Hill tried to "insert herself into the jury's deliberations through these comments was in line with her stated desire for a guilty verdict to sell more copies of the book she planned to write."
WATCH: Becky Hill walks into Colleton County Courthouse
ALEX MURDAUGH: TIMELINE OF THE ONCE POWERFUL SOUTH CAROLINA LAWYER'S SPECTACULAR DOWNFALL
The ruling references the post-trial court's finding that, "Hill was attracted by the siren call of celebrity" and "allowed her desire for the public attention of the moment to overcome her duty to her oath of office."
"Accordingly, we hold Murdaugh's right to a fair trial by an impartial jury was violated, and the post-trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial," the ruling says.
Former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill smiles after pleading guilty in St. Matthews, S.C., on Dec. 8, 2025. Hill pleaded guilty to showing sealed exhibits from Alex Murdaugh's murder trial and other charges. (Jeffrey Collins/AP)
Because Hill was a top court official, her words carried unusual weight and raised serious concerns that the jury’s decision may not have been based solely on the evidence presented at trial.
In December 2025, Hill pleaded guilty to four charges — obstruction of justice and perjury for showing a reporter photographs that were sealed court exhibits and then lying about it, plus two counts of misconduct in office for taking bonuses and promoting a book she wrote on the trial through her public office.
"There is no excuse for the mistakes I made. I’m ashamed of them and will carry that shame the rest of my life," Hill said in a statement read to the court.
There is no excuse for the mistakes I made.
She was sentenced to three years of probation.
WATCH: Becky Hill reads Alex Murdaugh 2023 guilty verdict
In 2023, Murdaugh was convicted of gunning down his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, at the family’s hunting estate in 2021. The case exposed a web of lies, including Murdaugh’s opioid addiction and millions in stolen client funds.
Despite the legal win Wednesday, Murdaugh will not be walking free. He remains behind bars serving lengthy sentences for a string of financial crimes that cemented his fall from power.
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Alex Murdaugh is handcuffed after being found guilty on all four charges, including two counts of murder and two counts of possessing a weapon during a violent crime, at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro on March 2, 2023. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier)
For his financial crimes, Murdaugh was sentenced in state court to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to 22 counts including money laundering and breach of trust. In federal court, he received a 40-year sentence for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which he is serving concurrently with his state time.
Though his murder convictions and subsequent life sentences were overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, he remains in prison to serve the financial sentences.
Fox News Digital's Peter D'Abrosca contributed to this report.
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