Alex Murdaugh trial latest: Prosecution finds ‘significant disputes’ in convicted murderer’s jury tampering claims
Follow updates after convicted killer appears in court on financial fraud charges
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Prosecutors have responded to Alex Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial on the grounds of jury tampering allegations at his murder trial, stating that South Carolina investigators have found “significant factual disputes” with the claims.
The response filed on Friday by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson concedes a hearing may be needed to decide if the killer should get a new trial - but moved to dismiss the motion for a “procedural defect” in the filing.
It’s the state’s first response to the bombshell motion filed by Murdaugh’s attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian last week that accused Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill of pressuring jurors to return a guilty verdict.
An investigation was launched by the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), which the AG claims is still ongoing, but has said has “revealed significant factual disputes as to claims in (Murdaugh’s) motion.”
On Thursday, a smiling Murdaugh appeared in court for the first time since he was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul, this time to face a string of financial fraud charges.
Judge Clifton Newman set a trial date for 27 November.
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Alex Murdaugh accuses ‘fame seeking’ court clerk of jury tampering at his murder trial
Alex Murdaugh accuses ‘fame seeking’ court clerk of jury tampering at his murder trial
Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh has accused a South Carolina court clerk of tampering with the jury at his high-profile double murder trial – because she was driven by fame and a desire to secure a book deal.
The disgraced legal scion and double murderer filed a motion on Tuesday requesting a new trial on the basis that Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill allegedly pressured jurors on the case to return a guilty verdict against him.
In the motion, Murdaugh’s attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin claim that Ms Hill “tampered with the jury by advising them not to believe Murdaugh’s testimony and other evidence presented by the defense, pressuring them to reach a quick guilty verdict, and even misrepresenting critical and material information to the trial judge in her campaign to remove a juror she believed to be favorable to the defense”.
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Alex Murdaugh accuses ‘fame seeking’ court clerk of jury tampering at murder trial
Much of the motion centres around juror number 785 – who became known as the egg juror when she was dismissed hours before the jury began deliberations
Welcome to The Independent’s live blog
Follow updates as convicted killer Alex Murdaugh is set to appear in court on financial fraud charges and the deadline looms for the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office to respond to his attorneys’ bombshell motion claiming jury tampering in his murder trial
Alex Murdaugh to appear in court for first time since trial sentencing
Alex Murdaugh is set to appear in court this week to face a string of financial fraud charges – in what marks his first court appearance since he was sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul.
The convicted killer will attend a status conference before Judge Clifton Newman in Beaufort County on Thursday morning.
Two of his former friends and alleged co-conspirators in his financial crimes – former Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte and former attorney Corey Fleming – are also due in court after they were previously convicted of charges.
Murdaugh is facing more than 100 state and federal charges over his alleged financial crimes, many of which he admitted to on the witness stand at his murder trial.
Deadline looms for prosecutors to respond to jury tampering allegations
The deadline is looming for the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office to respond to a bombshell motion filed by Murdaugh’s attorneys last week in which they demanded a new trial and accused Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill of pressuring jurors to return a guilty verdict against him.
In the motion filed on 5 September, Murdaugh’s attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin claim that Ms Hill “tampered with the jury by advising them not to believe Murdaugh’s testimony and other evidence presented by the defense, pressuring them to reach a quick guilty verdict, and even misrepresenting critical and material information to the trial judge in her campaign to remove a juror she believed to be favorable to the defense”.
Specifically, they claim that the clerk instructed jurors not to be “misled” by evidence presented by the defence and told jurors not to be “fooled by” Murdaugh’s testimony when he took the stand.
She allegedly instructed the jury to “watch him closely,” to “look at his actions,” and to “look at his movements” on the stand – something at least one juror said they understood to mean that Murdaugh was guilty.
The AG’s office had 10 days to respond to this motion – giving them until this Friday.
EXCLUSIVE: Will Alex Murdaugh be granted a new trial? Legal expert weighs in
When Alex Murdaugh was convicted of the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul back in March, his legal team insisted that the fight wasn’t over.
Six months on, his attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin descended on the South Carolina court of appeals in Columbia and filed a motion calling for a new trial and accusing the clerk of court of jury tampering.
So just how serious are these allegations? And will this now pave the way for Murdaugh – a man convicted of killing his wife and son in cold blood, a man facing another 700 years behind bars on 100 financial fraud charges and a man embroiled in a sprawling saga of mystery deaths – to be granted a new trial?
Prominent attorney Duncan Levin speaks to The Independent:
Will Alex Murdaugh be granted a new trial? Legal expert weighs in
Exclusive: Prominent defence attorney Duncan Levin tells Rachel Sharp that the allegations against court clerk Rebecca Hill are ‘extremely serious’ and that – if true – Murdaugh could and should be granted a new trial
WATCH: Court clerk's co-author responds to Murdaugh's jury tampering allegations
Who is Russell Laffitte?
Alex Murdaugh will be joined in court on Thursday by two former friends and alleged co-conspirators in his financial crimes – Russell Laffitte and Corey Fleming.
Laffitte is the former Palmetto State Bank CEO who is facing 21 state charges accused of conspiring with Murdaugh to misappropriate funds.
He was previously convicted in November of six federal charges including bank fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy in connection to Murdaugh’s alleged white collar financial fraud schemes and sentenced to seven years in federal prison. He is appealing the verdict.
His conviction came on the basis that he was Murdaugh’s co-defendant in his sprawling multi-million-dollar – and decade-long – schemes.
During his trial, Laffitte admitted that he had played a part in Murdaugh’s vast financial fraud schemes – but claimed that he was an unwilling participant who was conned by his friend.
Prosecutors – and the jury – disagreed, saying that Laffitte acted as Murdaugh’s personal banker and as a custodian or conservator for some of his law firm clients.
Laffitte then conspired to defraud those clients, with the two men diverting the money to themselves.
Among the victims were two children – Alaynia and Hannah Plyler – whose family members were killed in a tragic car crash.
Laffitte – whose family launched Palmetto State Bank in 1907 and who like Murdaugh came from a prominent family in the Lowcountry – was fired from the bank as details of the alleged scheme came to light.
Who is Corey Fleming?
Alex Murdaugh will be joined in court on Thursday by two former friends and alleged co-conspirators in his financial crimes – Russell Laffitte and Corey Fleming.
Fleming, a former attorney and alleged accomplice in Murdaugh’s financial fraud schemes, will be sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to a string of 23 state charges last month.
The charges – which include breach of trust with fraudulent intent, money laundering, computer crimes, and criminal conspiracy – stem from Murdaugh’s scheme to steal money from the estate of his dead housekeeper Gloria Satterfield.
Prior to this, Fleming also pleaded guilty to federal charges in May.
Last month, he was sentenced to nearly four years in prison on the charges and is currently serving his sentence.
WATCH: Buster Murdaugh gives first TV interview
An Alex Murdaugh juror gained infamy with a dozen eggs. Now she’s at the centre of his bid for a new trial
Juror number 785 hit headlines due to a comedic moment where she asked to retrieve a dozen eggs from the jury room after being dismissed from Murdaugh’s trial. Now, the so-called ‘egg juror’ could be about to blow the killer’s case wide open again. Rachel Sharp reports
Alex Murdaugh’s infamous ‘egg juror’ is at the centre of his bid for a new trial
Juror number 785 hit headlines due to a comedic moment where she asked to retrieve a dozen eggs from the jury room after being dismissed from Murdaugh’s trial. Now, the so-called ‘egg juror’ could be about to blow the killer’s case wide open again. Rachel Sharp reports