The South Carolina Supreme Court has vacated the 2023 murder convictions of disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh, ordering a new trial in the high-profile case. Murdaugh, who was found guilty of killing his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, in June 2021, is currently serving two consecutive life sentences. He also faces an additional 40 years in prison for various federal financial crimes.

The state’s highest court, in a unanimous 5-0 decision, determined that Murdaugh was denied his constitutional right to a fair trial by an impartial jury. The ruling specifically cited the actions of Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill, concluding that she had unfairly influenced jurors during the original proceedings, thereby “plac[ing] her fingers on the scales of justice.”

The court’s decision was based on multiple allegations that Hill made inappropriate comments to jurors. Affidavits from jurors indicated that Hill instructed them to “watch [Murdaugh] closely,” implying guilt and influencing their deliberations. Jurors also reported Hill telling them not to be “fooled” by the defense’s evidence and suggesting that their verdict “shouldn’t take us long” as they began deliberations. These statements, according to the justices, constituted an impermissible interference with the judicial process.

The original six-week trial, which captured global attention and inspired numerous documentaries and podcasts, culminated in Murdaugh’s conviction for the close-range shootings of his wife and son near the family’s dog kennels. His legal team had sought to overturn the conviction, arguing that the clerk’s alleged jury tampering compromised the integrity of the verdict. The Supreme Court’s order for a new trial reopens a complex and widely scrutinized chapter in South Carolina’s legal history.