South Carolina Court Overturns Murdaugh Murder Conviction
South Carolina's Supreme Court has overturned Alex Murdaugh's murder conviction. All 5 judges agreed on the decision.
Murdaugh was a lawyer who was found guilty of killing his wife Maggie and son Paul in June 2021. The court ordered a new trial.
Judges said a court clerk interfered with the jury. The clerk was partly motivated by a book she was writing about the case.
She has since pleaded guilty to criminal charges. Judges also said the trial allowed too much evidence about Murdaugh's money crimes.
Prosecutors plan to retry Murdaugh. But even without the murder conviction Murdaugh remains in prison.
He pleaded guilty to stealing about $12 million from clients. He is serving a separate 40-year sentence for those crimes.
Klear Note — Alex Murdaugh was a prominent South Carolina lawyer. His 2023 murder trial drew national attention. A new trial will determine if he is guilty again.
Key Terms 3
- overturned conviction A higher court cancels a guilty verdict from an earlier trial
- jury interference Someone illegally influenced the jury during the trial
- retry Hold a completely new trial for the same crime