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We had originally planned to take a break for the Christmas holidays, but events this week overtook us … specifically events enveloping embattled Colleton County, South Carolina clerk of court Becky Hill.
Hill, as our regular audience is well aware, is facing allegations of jury tampering in connection with last winter’s ‘Trial of the Century’ in the Palmetto State, the double homicide trial of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh.
As we reported exclusively yesterday, former South Carolina chief justice Jean Toal – who has been tapped to handle this case following the recusal of circuit court judge Clifton Newman – is moving quickly to hear Murdaugh’s bid for a new trial.
In fact, since we taped this show, we’ve learned the dates which have been tentatively set aside for this hearing …
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The woman at the heart of this hearing? Hill … who has been accused by Murdaugh’s lawyers of “betray(ing) her oath of office for money and fame” and “tamper(ing) with the jury by advising them not to believe Murdaugh’s testimony and other evidence presented by the defense, pressuring them to reach a quick guilty verdict, and even misrepresenting critical and material information to the trial judge in her campaign to remove a juror she believed to be favorable to the defense.”
This week started off with a bang when I published an article entitled ‘The Real Becky Hill Conspiracy,” a brutally incisive look at some of the lies in which Hill and her allies have been caught as they seek to push back against the myriad allegations against her.
The real bombshell this week? Thursday’s release of more than 2,000 pages of emails from Hill’s taxpayer-funded Colleton County address. The emails – obtained by this media outlet under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) – showed Hill habitually used government resources to develop, promote and sell copies of her book, Behind the Doors of Justice. They also provided a window into Hill’s interactions with her co-authors, fellow government officials and members of the media before, during and after the Murdaugh trial.
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Our research director and resident Murdaugh expert Jenn Wood joined me on this week’s show to discuss all the latest developments in the Becky Hill saga – including two of the latest conspiracy theories advanced by Hill and her allies. Wood and our researcher Callie Lyons are also preparing a deeper dive into the trove of emails released by Colleton County on Thursday.
Thanks once again to everyone who tuned into the show this week. Remember, your support enables everything we do here at FITSNews. If you want to help us continue holding those in power accountable – to continue pushing for reforms that enhance accountability at the institutional level – please consider subscribing today. In fact, we’ve got some great holiday offers for those of you considering subscribing for the first time … or those of you considering sending a gift subscription to a friend, family member or work colleague.
Happy holidays!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.
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