Convicted Murderer Alex Murdaugh Gets OK to File New Trial Bid

Richard Alexander Murdaugh, the disbarred South Carolina lawyer found guilty in March of murdering his wife and son, can go ahead and file a motion for a new trial, the South Carolina Court of Appeals said Tuesday, agreeing to hold his appeal in abeyance.

Murdaugh had asked the court to puthis pending appeal on hold and to grant him permission to file a motion for a new trial based on alleged jury tampering.

His trial, held in early 2023, garnered national media attention and has been the subject of various podcasts and a recently released Netflix docuseries.

His motion for a new trial, which was appended to the appeals court filing, claims that recently discovered evidence shows that the Clerk of Court, Rebecca Hill, told jurors not to believe Murdaugh’s testimony or the defense’s evidence.

Hill allegedly told jurors, just before Murdaugh took the stand, “not to be fooled,” which he claims “at least one juror” took to mean that he would lie on the stand.

Murdaugh also says Hill pressured jurors to return a “quick guilty verdict” and misrepresented “critical and material information” when trying to remove a juror the clerk “believed to be favorable to the defense.”

Murdaugh claims Hill wanted a guilty verdict to secure “a book deal and media appearances” that wouldn’t happen in the event of a mistrial.

Hill published a book, “Behind the Doors of Justice,” in August.

Murdaugh is represented by Richard Harpootlian PA and Griffin Humphries LLC.

The case is State v. Murdaugh, S.C. Ct. App., No. 2023-000392, 10/17/23.