South Carolina Court Clerk Denies Jury Tampering Allegations in Alex Murdaugh Case

In a pivotal development in the ongoing legal saga surrounding Alex Murdaugh, the South Carolina court clerk, Rebecca "Becky" Hill, at the center of allegations of jury tampering has emphatically denied the accusations under oath. These allegations are part of Murdaugh's bid for a new trial following his conviction in March for the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, in June 2021.

Murdaugh's legal team had sought a new trial based on claims of jury tampering, which prompted the South Carolina Court of Appeals to suspend his conviction appeal and return the case to the circuit court for consideration.

Last month, Murdaugh's defense attorneys requested an evidentiary hearing on their allegations of jury tampering. These allegations include assertions that Clerk of Court Becky Hill influenced the jury to disregard Murdaugh's testimony and other defense evidence, pressured them to reach a quick guilty verdict, and misrepresented information to have a juror removed.

In a signed affidavit, Hill categorically denied 26 specific allegations outlined in Murdaugh's motion for a new trial. She refuted statements attributed to her, such as instructing the jury to scrutinize Murdaugh's movements or warning them not to be distracted by certain evidence.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and state prosecutors have strongly opposed Murdaugh's motion for a new trial. Their response states, "Never does the law permit highly motivated convicts to put their own jury on trial." They emphasize that Murdaugh's claims lack sufficient merit.

The state's filing also highlights the ongoing investigation, revealing that most jurors and the final alternate juror have been interviewed by the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED). According to the filing, none of the interviewed jurors reported feeling pressured or influenced in their verdict.

However, one juror declined to be interviewed, and two jurors represented by an attorney have not yet consented to unconditional interviews with SLED.

The state's response underscores that Murdaugh's evidence largely consists of affidavits from one deliberating juror, one juror removed for concealing improper communications, and two hearsay affidavits from his legal team's paralegal. The state characterizes Murdaugh's claims as part of a "sweeping conspiratorial theory" with limited supporting evidence.

The filing concludes that if the motion for a new trial is not denied outright, a hearing should be conducted where all jurors would testify under oath regarding the jury tampering allegations.

When approached by CNN, Murdaugh's legal team did not provide any comment regarding the state's response.

Justin Bamberg, an attorney representing Becky Hill, stated, "We have fully respected the investigatory process, which was tough given the horrible things said about Mrs. Hill on Alex Murdaugh's behalf." He firmly denied any tampering allegations and the possibility of criminal charges against Hill.
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