Court of Appeals grants Alex Murdaugh’s motion for a hearing over jury tampering allegations

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – A South Carolina court of appeals has granted Alex Murdaugh’s motion for a hearing on a retrial.

It comes after Murdaugh alleged that Colleton County Clerk of Court, Rebecca Hill, tampered with the jury during his weeks-long murder trial earlier this year.

A 65-page court motion filed in September accuses Hill of making comments that jurors should not believe Murdaugh’s own testimony and instructed them to not be misled by evidence presented by the defense.

The filing also accuses Hill of having “frequent private conversations with the jury foreperson” and asking jurors for their opinion about Murdaugh’s guilt or innocence.

Murdaugh was ultimately found guilty in early March of killing his wife and son at their sprawling Colleton County property back in June 2021.

“The recent ruling to stay the appeal and remand the case for a hearing on Alex Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial is welcomed news. We intend to proceed expeditiously and will seek a full blown evidentiary hearing addressing the serious allegations pertaining to improper jury communications by the Clerk of Court,” said Murdaugh’s defense attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin in a statement Tuesday morning.