Alex Murdaugh returns to court ahead of retrial
Alex Murdaugh returns to court for a retrial status hearing, following his overturned double murder conviction. Attorneys analyze the implications for both the Murdaugh case, including calls for new DNA evidence review and the Supreme Court’s impact on state election procedures.
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A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by Alexander Murdaugh seeking to recover $600,000 in legal expenses from the county clerk accused of interfering with the jury in his murder trial.
U.S. District Judge Richard Mark Gergel ruled that Murdaugh lacked standing to sue Rebecca “Becky” Hill because her alleged misconduct did not cause him to incur the costs of defending himself.
Murdaugh would have needed to pay for his defense regardless of Hill’s actions because she did not initiate the murder charges or prosecution, Gergel wrote.
DISGRACED MURDAUGH TRIAL CLERK WHO HELPED BLOW UP MURDER CONVICTION CLAIMS PROTECTION FROM PAYBACK LAWSUIT
“Simply stated, Defendant’s misconduct was not a proximate cause of Plaintiff’s need to fund his defense costs,” the order said.
During the highly publicized proceedings, in which Murdaugh was accused of murdering his wife and son, Becky Hill allegedly engaged in “shocking jury interference,” according to the South Carolina Supreme Court. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool)
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The lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice, meaning Murdaugh could seek to file another claim if he can present a legally sufficient theory.
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Murdaugh sued Hill under a federal civil rights law, alleging that her communications with jurors violated his rights under the Sixth and 14th Amendments. He said he liquidated his 401K account before trial and spent $600,000 on his defense.
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Disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murdering his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul, on his hunting estate in June 2021. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool, File)
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The South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously overturned Murdaugh’s murder convictions on May 13 and ordered a new trial, finding that Hill’s conduct with jurors amounted to “shocking jury interference.”
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