An appeals court in South Carolina is allowing Alex Murdaugh to ask a judge to throw out his murder convictions and life sentence and get a new trial after his lawyers accused the court clerk in his trial of influencing the jury.
FILE - Alex Murdaugh speaks with his legal team before he is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murder of his wife and son by Judge Clifton Newman at the Colleton County Courthouse on Friday, March 3, 2023 in in Walterboro, S.C. Murdaugh’s lawyers have filed court papers that he plans to plead guilty in federal court to charges he stole money from clients.
“She asked jurors about their opinions about Mr. Murdaugh’s guilt or innocence. She instructed them not to believe evidence presented in Mr. Murdaugh’s defense, including his own testimony. She lied to the judge to remove a juror she believed might not vote guilty. And she pressured jurors to reach a guilty verdict quickly so she could profit from it,” defense attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian wrote.
Hill has spoken little publicly about the allegations and her lawyer didn’t respond to a text message Tuesday. But the author who helped her write a self-published book called “Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders” asked people to give Hill the same presumption of innocence they were supposed to give Murdaugh during the trial.“I’ve received hundreds of unsolicited comments from visitors and media who were at the trial or who came back to do a tour at the Colleton County Courthouse.
The jury deliberated less than three hours after the six-week trial. At least one juror said Hill told them they would be taken to a hotel if they didn’t reach a verdict by 11 p.m., upsetting jurors who didn’t pack for an overnight stay. Some jurors said Hill also told smokers on the jury that they couldn’t take a cigarette break until they had reached a verdict, according to the defense motion.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Appeals court allows Alex Murdaugh to argue for new trial because of possible jury tamperingAn appeals court in South Carolina is allowing Alex Murdaugh to ask a judge to throw out his murder convictions and life sentence and get a new trial after his lawyers accused the court clerk in his trial of influencing the jury
Read more »
Murdaugh gets retrial hearing in murder case amid jury tampering allegationsThe South Carolina Court of Appeals has remanded the Alex Murdaugh murder case back to circuit court for a hearing on Murdaugh's claims of jury tampering by Col
Read more »
Alex Murdaugh estate, Moselle, is back on the market for $1.95 millionProperty includes 21 acres and the Moselle estate that was home of Murdaugh family prior to Alex Murdaugh's murder of his wife and son.
Read more »
Portion of Alex Murdaugh's tragic family hunting farm lists for $1.95MSome six months after the sale of the Murdaugh family hunting farm, where Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were gunned down, a portion of the property seeks new owners.
Read more »
‘Murdaugh Murders: The Movie’ Part 2 | Watch online and stream Lifetime for freeHere's how to stream part two of 'Murdaugh Murders: The Movie,' a new Lifetime movie starring Bill Pullman, for free online if you don't have cable.
Read more »
Appeals court orders Mobile-based federal judge to spell out reasons for detaining Semmes manA Semmes man whose been held in jail since May on federal fraud charges will get a chance at freedom – at least until the charges are resolved.
Read more »