South Carolina’s highest court on May 27 issued a unanimous ruling ordering a new trial in the 2023 murder case of attorney Alex Murdaugh, who was convicted of killing his wife and son. The decision was based on findings that Murdaugh was denied a fair trial due to interference from the Colleton County clerk of court, Rebecca Hill.
The ruling said Hill “violently attacked Murdaugh’s credibility” and influenced the jury. Specifically, she advised jurors to watch Murdaugh’s “body language” and “not to be fooled” by defense evidence.
“Hill placed her thumb on the scales of justice, thereby depriving Murdaugh of the impartial jury trial he is due under our Constitution,” the justices wrote. “We are left with no choice but to reverse the denial of Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial because of improper outside influence on the jury.”
The court also cited a book Hill wrote, “Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Case,” as evidence she had not performed her duties properly. The book was later pulled from publication amid plagiarism allegations. In 2025, Hill pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, perjury, and abuse of power during her tenure.
Additionally, the state Supreme Court said the trial judge allowed irrelevant evidence, including details about Murdaugh’s financial crimes, to be presented to the jury.
Murdaugh, 57, is currently serving a 40-year federal sentence after pleading guilty to stealing $12 million from clients. He will not be released even if the murder conviction is overturned. His lawyers have always maintained his innocence, pointing to a lack of physical evidence such as a weapon, DNA, or blood linked to the crime scene.
Prosecutors, however, pointed to data from the victim son’s phone showing Murdaugh was at the scene shortly before the shooting. They argued Murdaugh killed his wife and son because of pressure from mounting debts and an opioid addiction.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, whose office opposed vacating the conviction, said he would retry Murdaugh. “While we disagree with the court’s decision, my office will actively seek to retry Alex Murdaugh for the murders of Maggie and Paul as quickly as possible,” Wilson said. “This decision does not mean Murdaugh will be released. He will remain in prison for his financial crimes. No one is above the law.”
The Murdaugh case captivated the American public and was the subject of documentary series on HBO and Netflix.
