As if the South Carolina Lowcountry weren’t already haunted enough, Alex Murdaugh appears to have transformed into a poltergeist, rendering prison walls incapable of containing him. Just six months after being convicted for the murder of his wife and son, his lawyers, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, have requested a new trial due to allegations of jury tampering.
In a truly astonishing turn of events, the person accused of attempting to manipulate the jury is none other than Rebecca “Becky” Hill, the amiable Colleton County clerk of court. Should these allegations prove to be true, it is possible that the verdicts in the Murdaugh case may be overturned.
This news has shaken the small town of Walterboro, which served as the backdrop for the high-profile five-week trial earlier this year. Hill, who played a central role for both jurors and the media, was known to be a source of serenity during the state’s longest and most chaotic criminal trial. She went beyond her duties as a court official and became a trusted friend to countless reporters, providing them with guidance on everything from finding food to parking. Hill was so well-liked by the media that she even attended after-hours social events organized by journalists, including a birthday celebration in her honor.
In case you need a reminder, Alex Murdaugh comes from a powerful legal family that exercised significant control over a large portion of South Carolina for a century. However, Murdaugh’s family legacy abruptly ended when he was found guilty of murdering his wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22, in 2021. These murders occurred on the same day Murdaugh’s law firm confronted him about missing funds, and around the time an evidentiary hearing was scheduled regarding a boating accident in which Paul was the driver and one of the passengers died.
Murdaugh consistently maintained his innocence throughout the trial, attributing his actions to a severe opioid addiction that was allegedly costing him $50,000 per week. However, it was evident to anyone following the trial that Murdaugh was in a state of panic as his life was unraveling before him.
Now, the town of Walterboro is once again abuzz with the latest developments. More than a hundred legal observers and hangers-on have reconvened, as if attending a reunion. Numerous lawyers, who were previously hired by news outlets to decipher the legal maneuvers during the trial, are also making a return, eager to secure new clients and potentially star in additional documentaries.
If the allegations against Hill are true, the consequences are significant. According to Harpootlian and Griffin, three jurors informed them that Hill instructed them to disregard Murdaugh’s testimony. Additionally, we know that Hill had a firm belief in Murdaugh’s guilt, as evidenced by the book she hastily wrote and published in July, titled “Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders.” She even arranged for the dismissal of Juror 758 shortly before the start of jury deliberations, allegedly due to concerns that the juror could deadlock the jury. Hill has been spotted around town, but she remains silent, refusing to comment on the matter.
The juror who was dismissed during the trial earned the nickname “Egg Juror” for an amusing incident that occurred in the courtroom. When Judge Clifton Newman asked if she had left anything in the jury room, she replied, “A dozen eggs,” much to the amusement of those present. When the judge asked if she wanted the eggs back, she said yes, resulting in even more laughter.
However, there is nothing amusing about the situation now. The dismissed juror has sought legal representation. Maintaining impartiality is paramount in our trial-by-jury system, and any interference with its integrity should be taken seriously. If Hill is proven guilty, the question arises: What was she thinking?
Of course, I cannot claim to know Hill’s thought process, but I suspect it had something to do with the town’s unique dynamics. She may have been engaged in casual conversations with friends who also happened to be jurors or friends of jurors. I realize this may be naïve thinking, but in small towns like those found in South Carolina, long-standing familial connections often exist, and everyone seems to know each other’s thoughts without explicitly expressing them.
At the same time, in a place like this, there’s often no need to vocalize one’s thoughts. This is precisely why I believe Hill’s decision to write and publish her book, which I have yet to read, was ill-advised. Although everyone may already be aware of a clerk of court’s opinions, it is best to keep them unshared.
Could there be a more sinister explanation for these recent turn of events in South Carolina? It is certainly a possibility. When traversing the territory associated with the Murdaugh family, one quickly learns that anything can happen. And sometimes, the worst things are yet to come.
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