On the evening of March 2, 2023, the eyes of America turned to Walterboro, South Carolina as a Colleton County jury returned two guilty verdicts against disbarred, disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh of Hampton, S.C. following a six-week trial.
The following day, Murdaugh received two life sentences for his crimes.
The jury unanimously found Murdaugh guilty of the graphic murders of his wife, 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh, and younger son – 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh – on the family’s hunting property near Islandton, S.C. on the evening of June 7, 2021.
The verdicts were announced to a waiting world by Colleton County clerk of court Becky Hill, who earned plaudits from the public, the press and prosecutors for her office’s handling of this international spectacle, which as been referred to as the Palmetto State’s ‘Trial of the Century.’
Now, these verdicts are potentially in jeopardy as Hill has found herself at the center of a metastasizing scandal. On September 5, 2023 – six months after the verdicts were announced – Murdaugh attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin filed a motion publicly accusing Hill of tampering with the jury that found Murdaugh guilty.
According to Harpootlian and Griffin, this alleged tampering included conspiring to have a juror who was believed to be sympathetic to Murdaugh removed from the panel on the same day the verdicts were announced.
Hill also allegedly told jurors “not to believe Murdaugh’s testimony and other evidence presented by the defense,” and pushed them to reach “a quick guilty verdict.”
Her alleged motive? Selling copies of her book Behind the Doors of Justice, portions of which she has since admitted to plagiarizing.
“Hill betrayed her oath of office for money and fame,” Murdaugh’s attorneys have alleged.
Did she? And if so, does Murdaugh deserve a new trial as a result?
Those questions will be the focus of an evidentiary hearing scheduled for January 29-31, 2024 in Richland County, S.C. Former Palmetto State chief justice Jean Toal has been tapped to preside over this hearing, which will determine whether Murdaugh is entitled to a new trial.
Welcome to FITSNews’ coverage of Alex Murdaugh’s retrial bid. Our news team – including founding editor Will Folks, producer Dylan Nolan and research director Jenn Wood – is dedicated to providing our audience with the most accurate, in-depth and up-to-date information, just as we have at every step of this still-unfolding saga.
Latest Articles...
Latest Video...
Core Content
The Documents
- Redacted Affidavit of Juror Z (1/29/2024)
- Redacted Affidavit of Juror 741 (1/29/2024)
- State's Redacted Revised Pre-Hearing Brief (1/29/2024)
- Defense Letter to Court (1/26/2024)
- Supplemental Media Order (1/24/2024)
- Defense Response to State's Brief (1/16/2024)
- Defense Amended Pre-Hearing Brief (1/12/2024)
- Defense Pre-Hearing Brief (1/10/2024)
- Scheduling Order (1/3/2024)
- Protective Order (1/3/2024)
- Motion for Reciprocal Discovery (1/3/2024)
- Media Order (1/3/2024)
- State's Pre-Hearing Briefing (1/3/2024)
- Defense Pre-Hearing Briefing (1/3/2024)
- Becky Hill's Email FOIA
- Becky Hill's Response to Ethics Complaints (8/21/2023)
- Judge Newman's Recusal (11/16/2023)
- State's Response to Motion for a New Trial (11/7/2023)
- Defense Motion to Stay (11/1/2023)/Writ of Prohibition (11/3/2023)
- Defense Motion for a New Trial (10/27/2023)
- SC Order Suspending Appeal (10/17/2023)
- Defense Reply (9/21/2023)
- State's Response (9/15/2023)
- Defense Motion to Stay (9/5/2023)
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/redacted-affidavit-juror-z.pdf” title=”Redacted affidavit Juror Z”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/redacted-affidavit.pdf” title=”Redacted affidavit”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/redacted-brief.pdf” title=”Redacted brief”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/letter-with-attached-exhibit-a.pdf” title=”Letter with attached Exhibit A”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/20240124-state-v-murdaugh-order-regarding-media-coverage.pdf” title=”2024.01.24 State v. Murdaugh – Order Regarding Media Coverage”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/reply.pdf” title=”Reply”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/exhibit.pdf” title=”Exhibit”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/second-supplemental-pre-hearing-brief.pdf” title=”Second Supplemental Pre-Hearing Brief”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/defendants-pre-hearing-brief.pdf” title=”Defendant’s pre-hearing brief”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/scheduling-order-1.pdf” title=”Scheduling order (1)”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/protective-order.pdf” title=”Protective order”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/motion-for-reciprocal-discovery.pdf” title=”Motion for Reciprocal Discovery”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/media-coverage-order.pdf” title=”Media coverage order”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/pre-hearing-brief-of-the-state.pdf” title=”Pre-hearing brief of the State”]
Alex Murdaugh’s Attorneys Bolster His Case For A New Trial
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/pre-hearing-brief.pdf” title=”Pre-hearing brief”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/01/pre-hearihg-brief-exhibit-a.pdf” title=”Pre-hearihg brief exhibit A”]
Becky Hill Email Dump: A Look Inside Embattled Clerk Of Court’s Office
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/12/rh-sent-january-1-2023-december-11-2023-redacted.pdf” title=”RH Sent January 1, 2023 – December 11, 2023_Redacted”]
Murdaugh Clerk Drama: Becky Hill Rips Ethics Complaints Filed Against Her
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/12/hill-response-redacted.pdf” title=”Hill Response Redacted”]
Murdaugh Saga: Clifton Newman Stands Down
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/11/murdaugh.pdf” title=”Murdaugh”]
Murdaugh Murders: State Responds To Defense’s Request For New Trial
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/11/filed-response-to-defendants-motion-for-new-trial-motion-to-strike-11-7-23-murdaugh-03430278xd2c78.pdf” title=”FILED Response to Defendant’s Motion for New Trial + Motion to Strike. 11-7-23. Murdaugh. (03430278xD2C78)”]
Murdaugh Murders: Supreme Court Asked To Remove Judge Clifton Newman
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/11/2023-11-01-motion-to-stay-trial-proceedings.pdf” title=”2023-11-01 Motion to Stay Trial Proceedings”]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/11/2023-11-03-petition-for-writ-of-prohibition.pdf” title=”2023-11-03 Petition for Writ of Prohibition”]
Murdaugh Murders: Motion For New Trial Filed
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/10/xerox-scan-10272023114552.pdf” title=”Motion for a New Trial”]
Alex Murdaugh’s Appeal Suspended, Case Headed Back To Colleton County
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/10/non-dispositional-decision-order-granting-motion-to-hold-in-abeyance-and-remand-to-trial-court-for-motion-for-new-trial.pdf” title=”Non-Dispositional Decision – Order Granting Motion to Hold in Abeyance and Remand to Trial Court for Motion for New Trial”]
Alex Murdaugh’s Attorneys Fire Back At State Prosecutors
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/09/state-v-murdaugh-reply-to-the-return.pdf” title=”State v. Murdaugh – Reply to the Return”]
South Carolina Attorney General To Alex Murdaugh: Bring it On
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/09/state-v-murdaugh-supp-motion.pdf” title=”State v. Murdaugh- Supp Motion”]
Alex Murdaugh Appeal: Attorneys Drop Bombshell Motion Demanding New Trial
[pdf-embedder url=”https://3c06aba1-bb5b-4989-bcf9-62da466d33bc.cc04.conves.io/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/09/state-v-murdaugh-motion-to-stay.pdf” title=”State v. Murdaugh – Motion to Stay”]