Courts and Judicial Misconduct

Alex Murdaugh’s attorney urged the South Carolina Supreme Court to overturn his murder convictions, saying former Colleton County clerk Rebecca “Becky” Hill told jurors before the defense case to guard against being “confused,” watch Murdaugh’s body language and, according to another clerk, suggested a guilty verdict would help sell a book—comments the defense says influenced the jury. Chief Justice John Kittredge called Hill a “rogue clerk,” and prosecutor Creighton Waters conceded the remarks were improper but argued they were relatively insignificant given the strength of the state’s case and the professionalism of the trial team, while Murdaugh continues to insist he did not kill his wife and son.