{"id":1752,"date":"2026-05-13T16:02:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T16:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/13\/murdaugh-murder-convictions-overturned-by-south-carolina-supreme-court-2\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T16:02:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T16:02:32","slug":"murdaugh-murder-convictions-overturned-by-south-carolina-supreme-court-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/13\/murdaugh-murder-convictions-overturned-by-south-carolina-supreme-court-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Murdaugh murder convictions overturned by South Carolina Supreme Court"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The South Carolina Supreme Court has ruled to overturn the 2023 double murder conviction of disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh.<\/p>\n

Read more Folsom City Council dumps proposal to cut voters out of outsourcing decisions<\/a><\/p>\n

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In its ruling Wednesday, the S.C. Supreme Court said the actions of former Colleton County Court Clerk Becky Hill denied \u201cMurdaugh his right to a fair trial by an impartial jury.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Murdaugh\u2019s case will now return to circuit court, according to the ruling.<\/p>\n

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\u201cBoth the State and Murdaugh\u2019s defense skillfully presented their cases to the jury as the trial court deftly presided over this complicated and high-profile matter. However, their efforts were in vain because Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill placed her fingers on the scales of justice,\u201d the ruling said. \u201c… Although we are aware of the time, money, and effort expended for this lengthy trial, we have no choice but to reverse the denial of Murdaugh\u2019s motion for a new trial due to Hill\u2019s improper external influences on the jury and remand for a new trial.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The state Supreme Court\u2019s decision was made following a February hearing about whether jury tampering and improper prosecution evidence spoiled Murdaugh\u2019s right to a fair trial.<\/p>\n

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Murdaugh, 57, a once wealthy fourth-generation lawyer in his family law firm in Lowcountry Hampton County, was serving two life sentences for murder at a maximum security state prison in McCormick County.<\/p>\n

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The man that the S.C. Supreme Court called a \u201cnotorious former attorney\u201d is also serving multiyear state and federal sentences for defrauding clients of millions of dollars. Murdaugh has admitted his financial frauds and plead guilty to them.<\/p>\n

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But he contends he is innocent of murder and was wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and son.<\/p>\n

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In 2023, Murdaugh was found guilty of two counts of murder for the June 7, 2021, shooting deaths of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on the family\u2019s remote 1,770-acre estate, called Moselle.<\/p>\n

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Attorney general says Murdaugh will be retried<\/h2>\n

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On Wednesday, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said he would retry Murdaugh on the murder charges.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhile we respectfully disagree with the Court\u2019s decision, my office will aggressively seek to retry Alex Murdaugh for the murders of Maggie and Paul as soon as possible,\u201d Wilson said in a news release.<\/p>\n

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Wilson pointed out that despite the S.C. Supreme Court\u2019s ruling, Murdaugh will remain incarcerated for convictions on other crimes.<\/p>\n

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\u201cLet me be clear \u2014 this decision does not mean Murdaugh will be released,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cHe will remain in prison for his financial crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Murdaugh murder convictions overturned by South Carolina Supreme Court<\/a><\/p>\n

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Murdaugh is currently serving a 27-year sentence in a South Carolina Department of Corrections prison for financial crime convictions. Murdaugh is also serving a concurrent 40-year sentence in federal prison after pleading guilty to the financial crimes.<\/p>\n

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In addition to the murder charges, Murdaugh also was convicted of two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime at the end of the March 2023 trial.<\/p>\n

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But during an October 2023 appeal, Murdaugh sough to file a motion for a new trial because he said that Hill tampered with the jury in multiple ways. Murdaugh contended that Hill:<\/p>\n

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