SC Supreme Court overturns Murdaugh murder convictions

The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday unanimously overturned Alex Murdaugh's 2023 convictions for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, at the family's Colleton County property in June 2021, ordering a new trial due to improper influence on the jury by Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill.

In a 5-0 decision, the justices ruled that Hill's comments to jurors during the six-week trial violated Murdaugh's right to an impartial jury. "Hill placed her fingers on the scales of justice, thereby denying Murdaugh his right to a fair trial by an impartial jury," the court wrote. The ruling noted that Hill's actions, including urging jurors to watch Murdaugh's body language and not be fooled by his testimony, created a presumption of prejudice that prosecutors failed to rebut. A lower court had previously denied Murdaugh's motion for a new trial after finding Hill made improper remarks but determining they did not affect the verdict.

Hill, who managed evidence and oversaw the jury, later pleaded guilty in December 2025 to charges including perjury, obstruction of justice, and misconduct in office. Those charges stemmed from her sharing sealed evidence with media,...