Murdaugh team attends status conference in bid for retrial

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – A hearing will take place Tuesday in a Richland County courtroom as Alex Murdaugh and his defense team plead their case for a retrial in the murders of the once-prominent attorney’s wife and son.

Former Chief Justice Jean Toal is taking over proceedings related to the murder trial after Judge Clifton Newman asked to be removed from all post-trial motions.

The purpose of Tuesday’s hearing is to discuss conditions and review motions and arguments from both the defense and state prosecutors.

It all comes after Murdaugh and his team alleged that Colleton County Clerk of Court, Rebecca Hill, tampered with the jury during his weeks-long trial in early 2023. The trial ended March 3 with a guilty verdict and Murdaugh received a double life sentence.

In October, Murdaugh’s defense team requested a retrial following allegations of jury tampering by Hill. Attorney Jim Griffin said they had sworn testimony by jurors that Hill had improper private communications with the jurors.

“And the subject matter of those communications was the credibility of the defense that the Murdaugh legal defense team put up — and it was the believability of the defendant’s own testimony,” said Griffin during a news conference in 2023.

On Jan. 29, Justice Jean Toal will decide if there is enough evidence to support their argument. During that hearing, jurors, the clerk, and the trial judge, Clifton Newman, might have to testify under oath.

Justice Toal also ordered that Becky Hill be removed as the clerk and that all future documents be filed with the South Carolina Supreme Court clerk.