Even though a juror testified that the county clerk, who allegedly wanted to profit from a book contract about the case, influenced her guilty finding, Alex Murdaugh, the convicted killer, had his request for a new trial denied. Murdaugh, 55, is incarcerated for two consecutive life terms without the possibility of release for the 2021 killings of his son Paul and wife Maggie. Becky Hill, the clerk of the Colleton County Court, was accused by his legal team of illegally influencing jurors for her own benefit.
Judge Jean Toal of South Carolina chastised Hill’s actions despite turning down Murdaugh’s plea for a new trial. Toal stated that even before the trial started in November 2022, Hill had indicated an interest in publishing a book about it and that he was drawn to the glamour of celebrity. In spite of these conclusions, Toal came to the opinion that the jury’s decision was made impartially and independently, and that Hill’s remarks had no bearing on it.
Reports state that Hill had expressed to another clerk and others her eagerness for a guilty judgment, reasoning that it would increase book sales. She also made remarks to one juror, if not more, on Murdaugh’s behavior in the courtroom.
Toal said in her decision that she conducted in-person interviews with each jury. Eleven jurors said that Hill’s statements had no bearing on their choice or that they had not heard anything from him at all. During her testimony, the twelfth juror appeared conflicted and said she felt under more pressure from her other colleagues than from Hill.
Juror Z first stated that Hill’s remarks implied Murdaugh’s guilt, which caused her to be swayed by the clerk. She did, however, later affirm her previous affidavit, which stated that other jurors’ comments had less of an impact on her decision to vote guilty than did Hill’s.
Concerns were raised when it was revealed during the trial that the jurors were viewing the livestream in a back room, as they weren’t meant to be privy to each other’s testimony or the attorneys’ arguments.
Jim Griffin, Murdaugh’s lawyer, contended that any correspondence between jurors and court personnel is intrinsically biased. He highlighted that one juror acknowledged that Hill’s remarks had an impact on them, raising concerns about how this influence could be seen as non-prejudicial.
Murdaugh has continued to insist that he is innocent of killing his son and wife. He did, however, enter a guilty plea to a number of financial misdeeds, for which he was given a 27-year prison sentence. He can still file an appeal against the murder convictions.