Alex Murdaugh Sues Court Clerk in Murder Trial

Alex Murdaugh's courtroom drama has moved to a new stage: a federal civil rights suit against the clerk who oversaw his murder trial. The disbarred South Carolina attorney on Monday sued former Colleton County clerk of court Becky Hill in Columbia, alleging she improperly steered jurors toward a guilty verdict and violated his constitutional right to an impartial jury. Murdaugh's lawyers say Hill privately urged jurors not to be "fooled" or "confused" by the defense and effectively acted as a character witness for the prosecution.

The filing comes days after the South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously threw out Murdaugh's 2023 double-murder convictions in the deaths of his wife and son, ruling that Hill "placed her fingers on the scales of justice." The court ordered a new trial. Murdaugh is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Hill, who had unusual access to jurors during the six-week trial, pleaded guilty in December to perjury, obstruction of justice, and misconduct tied to misuse of public funds. She received a sentence of probation. Murdaugh remains imprisoned on state and federal financial-crime sentences totaling decades.