‘KILLER’S’ SHOCK 

Alex Murdaugh’s first words revealed by lawyers after conviction overturned – as they issue warning to tampering clerk

ALEX Murdaugh was stunned after learning his conviction for the murders of his wife and youngest son had been overturned, his attorneys have revealed.

The dramatic update to a case that gripped the nation three years ago was made on Wednesday when South Carolina’s top court said it had no choice but to quash Murdaugh’s 2023 conviction.

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Alex Murdaugh’s conviction for the double murders of his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul, were overturned by South Carolina’s top court on WednesdayCredit: AP
 

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The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill’s actions denied Murdaugh a fair trialCredit: AP
The judges ripped former Colleton County Clerk Rebecca Hill, who they said placed her “fingers on the scales of justice” and denied Murdaugh a fair trial.

“Although we are aware of the time, money and effort expended for this lengthy trial, we have no choice but to reverse the denial of Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial due to Hill’s improper external influences on the jury and remand for a new trial,” the judges wrote in their opinion.

Jim Griffin, one of Murdaugh‘s attorneys, told The U.S. Sun the legal scion was in disbelief about the 5-0 ruling by the South Carolina Supreme Court.

“He was incredulous because every ruling has gone against him since he got in the spotlight,” Griffin said.

“He got a copy of the order. He read the order and he says, ‘Jim, I read it, I see it, I still don’t believe it. That’s just sinking in.’”

In their opinion, the judges criticized the disgraced county clerk, adding that as her book, Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders, suggested Hill was quite busy “thwarting the integrity of the justice system she was sworn to protect and uphold.”

Dick Harpootlian, Murdaugh’s other attorney, slammed Hill saying he is still shocked she wasn’t prosecuted.

“The Supreme Court found she perjured herself when she said she didn’t talk to jurors,” Harpootlian told The U.S. Sun.

“Jurors said she did and she has cost the state and us a huge amount of money and time, and I’m shocked that she wasn’t prosecuted.”

Harpootlian said the team is eager to get the trial tried again, but acknowledges the significant steps that will follow after Wednesday’s decision.

“We don’t know what we don’t know,” Harpootlian added.

“You gotta figure that out, we gotta get a judge appointed, we got to have discovery.”

Harpootlian said that realistically, the earliest Murdaugh will be in front of a judge for a retrial will be spring 2027.

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The Murdaugh family from left to right: Paul, Maggie, Alex, and Buster MurdaughCredit: Maggie Murdaugh/Facebook

Murdaugh has denied any involvement in the murders of his wife and son.

Despite his latest legal victory, Murdaugh is still serving a 40-year federal sentence and a 27-year state sentence for multiple financial crimes he admitted to.

Murdaugh, now 57, confessed to stealing millions from families who sought his help at his Hampton County law firm, cheating his clients out of settlement money.

The killings of Maggie, 52, and Paul Murdaugh, 22, shocked the Lowcountry region in South Carolina due to the family’s storied history dating back to the 1920s.

Maggie and Paul were found dead from gunshot wounds on June 7, 2021, near the dog kennels of the family’s sprawling hunting estate, Moselle.

The case went unsolved for more than a year before Alex Murdaugh was indicted and arrested in July 2022.

At trial, Murdaugh’s financial schemes came to light as did his addiction to opioids, which he testified fueled his greed.

Following a near six-week trial, jurors deliberated for less than three hours before convicting Murdaugh on all charges in March 2023.

Soon after his conviction, Murdaugh’s team filed a motion for a new trial citing claims from jurors that Hill made improper comments implying their client’s guilt.

Harpootlian and Griffin accused Hill, who has since resigned from her duties at the Colleton County Courthouse, of attempting to sway the outcome of the trial in order to obtain a book deal.

Hill released her book five months after the trial ended.

However, the book was pulled from the shelves after it was revealed she plagiarized texts from news articles and inserted them on to the book’s introduction.

Hill was charged in May 2024 with four state charges, and pleaded guilty in December to charges of misconduct, obstruction of justice and perjury.

She avoided jail time and was sentenced to three years probation and 100 hours of community service.

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Alex Murdaugh greets his defense attorney Jim Griffin before a hearing on the motion for a retrial in January 2024Credit: AP

Alex Murdaugh’s convictions and sentences

The South Carolina Supreme Court has overturned disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions after it found a court clerk had tampered with the jury.

But that does not mean he is free. Murdaugh is still serving concurrent state and federal sentences for multiple financial crimes.

Murder of Maggie Murdaugh: Life in prison without parole. Convicted and sentenced March 2023. Overturned May 2026.

Murder of Paul Murdaugh: Life in prison without parole. Convicted and sentenced March 2023. Overturned May 2026.

Possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, two counts: 5 years. Convicted March 2023. Overturned May 2026.

Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, bank fraud, and two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution: 30 years. Pleaded guilty. Sentenced September 2023.

Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud: 20 years. Pleaded guilty. Sentenced September 2023.

Fourteen counts of money laundering: 10 years. Pleaded guilty. Sentenced September 2023.

State financial crimes: 27 years. Pleaded guilty. Sentenced November 2023.