Home / Crime and Justice / Clerk's Actions Reversed Alex Murdaugh Conviction
Clerk's Actions Reversed Alex Murdaugh Conviction
26 May
Summary
- Clerk Rebecca Hill's alleged jury tampering led to overturned convictions.
- Hill admitted to misconduct, pleading guilty to obstruction and perjury charges.
- The state Supreme Court cited Hill's influence as a 'disgraceful effort'.
Alex Murdaugh's convictions for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, were reversed on May 13, 2026, by the state Supreme Court. The court found that Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill engaged in jury tampering, thereby denying Murdaugh a fair trial.
Hill allegedly made prejudicial remarks to jurors, including instructing them to "watch him closely." In December 2025, she pleaded guilty to obstruction, perjury, and misconduct charges, receiving a three-year probation sentence. She acknowledged making mistakes, stating, "I'm ashamed of them and will carry that shame the rest of my life."
The state's highest court described Hill's actions as a "breathtaking and disgraceful effort" to influence the jury. The court unanimously ruled that her "fingers on the scales of justice" had irreparably tainted the proceedings against Murdaugh, who was convicted in March 2023 for the June 7, 2021, shooting deaths.
Murdaugh was found guilty of murdering his wife and son and received consecutive life sentences without parole. He was also previously convicted of stealing millions from clients. His surviving son, Buster, expressed doubt about his father's guilt.
