Alex Murdaugh trial clerk hires lawyers after bombshell jury tampering claims – latest
Murdaugh’s attorneys accused South Carolina Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill of pressuring jurors to return a guilty verdict in his murder trial
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The court clerk who oversaw the murder trial of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh has hired high-profile lawyers after his attorneys accused her of pressuring jurors to return a guilty verdict against him.
The disgraced legal scion’s attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin filed a motion for a new trial on Tuesday, alleging that Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill tampered with the jury because she was driven by fame and a desire to secure a book deal.
Ms Hill has now retained the counsel of State Rep Justin Bamberg and former assistant US attorney Will Lewis.
The clerk has yet to formally respond to the allegations against her and she is not currently facing any criminal charges.
Much of the 65-page motion centres around juror number 785 – who was infamously dismissed from the panel just hours before deliberations began. Judge Clifton Newman removed her for allegedly discussing the case with people outside of the court.
The woman then prompted some light-hearted relief when she asked to pick up her “dozen eggs” from the jury room before she left.
Who is Rebecca ‘Becky’ Hill, the clerk of court accused of jury tampering in the Murdaugh trial?
Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca ‘Becky’ Hill, who is in her first term, is being accused by Alex Murdaugh’s defence attorneys of tampering with the jury at his high-profile trial.
In a motion filed Tuesday, they claim that she “betrayed her oath of office for money and fame” and, off the back of her work on the case, secured a deal for a book titled “Behind the Doors of Justice”.
Hill was a state judicial court reporter for 12 years before being elected as Clerk of Court for Colleton County. Her book about Murdaugh murders was published in July just months after Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of killing his wife and son in June 2021.
“She did these things to secure for herself a book deal and media appearances that would not happen in the event of a mistrial,” the motion filed on Tuesday claims.
The motion also claims that Ms Hill had frequent private conversations with the jury foreperson – with the pair often disappearing to private rooms for five to 10 minutes at a time.
“During the trial, Ms Hill asked jurors for their opinions about Mr. Murdaugh’s guilt or innocence,” the motion reads.
“Ms Hill invented a story about a Facebook post to remove a juror she believed might not vote guilty.
“Ms Hill pressured the jurors to reach a quick verdict, telling them from the outset of their deliberations that it ‘shouldn’t take them long.’”
Just hours after they returned a guilty verdict, his attorneys allege Ms Hill flew with jurors to New York as some of the panellists waived their anonymity to appear on NBC’s Today show.
In conclusion, they claim that the court clerk’s actions violated “Murdaugh’s constitutional right to a fair and impartial jury”.
Court clerk allegedly confronted dismissed ‘egg juror’ about questionable Facebook posts
A large portion of the 65-page motion filed on Tuesday centres around juror number 785 – who became infamous when she was dismissed from the jury just hours before deliberations began.
The woman was removed for allegedly discussing the case with at least three other people outside of the court. She then surprised the court when she asked to pick up her “dozen eggs” from the jury room before she left.
According to the motion, Ms Hill had gone to Judge Newman on 27 February – the day after Murdaugh testified – claiming that she had seen a post in local Facebook group “Walterboro Word of Mouth” from juror 785’s former husband Tim Stone.
The post purportedly claimed that the juror was drinking with her ex-husband and, when she became drunk, she expressed her views on whether Murdaugh was innocent or guilty.
A follow-up post from an account called Timothy Stone apologised for the post saying that he was driven by “Satan”.
When Ms Hill confronted the juror about the posts, the juror said she hadn’t seen her ex-husband in 10 years, the motion states.
Ms Hill allegedly told the juror that SLED and Colleton County Sheriff’s Office personnel had gone to Mr Stone’s house and that he had confirmed he made the post.
She then allegedly asked juror 785 whether she was inclined to vote guilty or not guilty – to which she said she had not made up her mind.
Murdaugh’s attorneys claim that the original post was “fictitous” and that a download of Mr Stone’s Facebook shows he did not make either post.
What time is the press conference?
Alex Murdaugh’s attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin are still set to hold a press conference Tuesday afternoon after filing a motion requesting a new trial for the convicted killer.
The motion alleges that South Carolina Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill tampered with the jury.
More details are expected to be released at the press conference today at 2.30pm local time on the grounds of the South Carolina State House near the Court of Appeals in Columbia.
Murdaugh’s defence attorneys give details on motion alleging court of clerk tampered with jury
Attorneys for Alex Murdaugh are giving more details on the motion they filed alleging a South Carolina clerk of court tampered with the jury in the disgraced legal scion’s murder trial.
Defense attorneys ‘focused’ on getting Murdaugh a new trial
Defense attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian held a presser on Tuesday and said they are focused on getting Alex Murdaugh a new trial.
Mr Harpootlian said that they had filed the petition based on “newly-discovered evidence” with the South Carolina Court of Appeals to grant a stay on Murdaugh’s appeal while the motion is heard for a new trial.
He said that he also sent a request to the South Carolina Attorney’s office calling for the opening of a federal investigation into the violation of Murdaugh’s civil rights.
The evidence in the motion “speaks for themselves,” he said.
Defence attorney Dick Harpootlian dismisses question if clerk of court should face criminal charges
Mr Harpootlian quickly dismissed the question by a reporter who asked if the clerk of court should be hit with criminal charges.
He then fired back: “No comment.”
Murdaugh attorneys ‘optimistic’ he’ll get new trial
Jim Griffin said that he is “optimistic” that Murdaugh will be granted a new trial.
“I am very optimistic that ultimately we will get a new trial. How long that will take, I don’t know,” he said.
Murdaugh’s attorneys admit they haven’t contacted court clerk
When asked in the press conference if they had contacted Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill about the allegations, Murdaugh’s attorneys admitted that they hadn’t.
Mr Griffin said: “Based on the information we received, we thought it would be pointless.”
Murdaugh attorneys were met with a ‘zone of silence’ from jurors until clerk of court published tell-all book
Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin say they were met with a “zone of silence” from jurors after Alex Murdaugh’s guilty verdict.
But after Ms Hill published her tell-all book, jurors who were unhappy with what was written came forward.
Attorneys want investigation into ‘violation’ of Alex Murdaugh’s civil rights
Murdaugh’s attorneys said they have sent a request to the South Carolina US Attorney to open a federal investigation into the alleged violation of Murdaugh’s civil rights.
The evidence in the motion “speaks for themselves,” Mr Harpootlian said.
He also said that they were calling for SLED – the agency which led the investigation into the murders of Maggie and Paul – to stand down on any investigation into the allegations against the clerk of court because the agency is heavily-invested in Murdaugh’s conviction.
When asked if they think the court clerk should be hit with criminal charges, Mr Harpootlian quickly dismissed the question. “No comment,” he fired back.