Colleton County Clerk of Court to make announcement outside courthouse

WALTERBORO, S.C. (WCBD) – Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill is expected to make an announcement alongside her attorney Justin Bamberg on Monday morning.

Hill, who was elected to serve as clerk of court in 2020, has been at the center of controversy following the conviction of once-prominent South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh for the killing of his wife and youngest son.

Murdaugh and his defense team accused Hill of tampering with the jury and attempting to persuade the trial’s outcome. She was also exposed for plagiarizing parts of a book she wrote about the weeks-long trial titled, “Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders.”

A hearing was held in late January where former Chief Justice Jean Toal individually questioned all 12 jurors and Hill to determine whether a retrial was warranted. The jurors who testified said any comments they heard did not directly influence their decision to find Murdaugh guilty.

Hill denied allegations that she attempted to sway their decisions and answered questions from the defense team, state prosecutors, and Judge Toal regarding the trial and her book.

Judge Toal ultimately denied Alex Murdaugh’s request for a retrial, saying the jurors verified under oath that their decision was their own. The former chief justice believed Hill was “attracted by the siren call of celebrity.”

Details about Hill’s Monday morning announcement were not provided; however, it’s scheduled to happen in front of the Colleton County Courthouse at 11:00 a.m.