A judge on Monday rejected Alex Murdaugh‘s plea for a new trial in the murder cases of his wife and son.
Judge Jean Toal dismissed the motion filed by Murdaugh’s lawyers last year, alleging jury tampering by Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill. The defense claimed Hill was protecting a book deal, but she denied tampering with the jury during hearings over the motion.
Murdaugh was sentenced to two consecutive life terms after being convicted last March of murdering his wife, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh, who were found dead near the family’s hunting estate in 2021.
Prosecutors argued that Murdaugh committed the murders to gain sympathy and divert attention from financial wrongdoings.
In November, Murdaugh was sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to 22 counts, including fraud and money laundering, related to stealing millions from his law firm and clients.
The defense filed a retrial motion in September, claiming Hill influenced the jury against Murdaugh. Hill and jurors testified during a hearing on the motion.
Jurors alleged Hill instructed them on how to perceive Murdaugh’s testimony, but she denied these claims, stating she merely encouraged them to pay attention.
Toal criticized Hill for being “attracted by the siren call of celebrity” but concluded her actions had no impact on the jury. The judge affirmed the verdict after reviewing the trial transcript.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson urged moving forward, stating it was “time to move on and forward.”
“As with all cases, the Attorney General’s office and SLED’s (South Carolina Law Enforcement Division) only mission is to seek the truth and deliver justice, wherever the facts lead,” he said in his statement.