Attorneys representing Alex Murdaugh, the man convicted of murdering his wife and son, have filed a motion calling for a new trial, claiming that the Colleton County Clerk of Court tampered with the jury during the trial. The motion alleges that the clerk, Rebecca “Becky” Hill, urged the jury to discredit Murdaugh’s testimony and other evidence presented by the defense, and pushed for a swift guilty verdict.
The motion provides sworn affidavits from both a juror and a dismissed juror, along with excerpts from Hill’s recently published book. Murdaugh’s legal team is now asking the South Carolina US Attorney to investigate potential criminal charges related to the alleged tampering.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has confirmed that they are currently reviewing the defense’s motion and will respond through the appropriate legal channels. The filing accuses Hill of three main transgressions: discussing the case with the jury, pressuring them to reach a hasty verdict, and providing false information to disqualify a juror.
Hill and her co-author Neil R. Gordon released a book last month in which she divulged behind-the-scenes details from the trial. This new revelation adds another layer of concern to the accusations against her regarding potential jury tampering.
During the trial, prosecutors presented video evidence placing Murdaugh at the crime scene, while the defense focused on Murdaugh’s denial of the shootings and his admission to lying about his whereabouts and involvement in financial crimes. These additional charges add to Murdaugh’s legal troubles, which already include numerous state and federal charges associated with embezzlement and money laundering.
This murder conviction is only one element of a much larger story involving allegations of misused funds, a suspected suicide-for-hire plot, and Murdaugh’s disbarment from practicing law. The case has garnered considerable attention, and now, with the motion for a new trial citing potential jury tampering, it seems that the plot continues to thicken. As the legal process unfolds, the controversial circumstances surrounding Murdaugh’s conviction will undoubtedly continue to make headlines.
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