Murdaugh attorneys look to Court of Appeals as next step after judge denies request for a new trial
From CNN’s Dianne Gallagher
Attorneys for Alex Murdaugh believe the next step will be the Court of Appeals after Justice Jean Toal denied Murdaugh’s request for a new trial on Monday.
“We go from here to Court of Appeals, then South Carolina Supreme Court – and then federal court,” Murdaugh attorney Dick Harpootlian told CNN.
Harpootlian said he believes the process to get back to the Court of Appeals will take about a month.
“It's either going to be decided, in my opinion, in our favor in the appellate court or five years down the road in federal court unless they change the federal law,” said Murdaugh attorney Jim Griffin following the evidentiary hearing.
5 min ago
"Fleeting and foolish comments": Judge says clerk of court wanted to write a book about Murdaugh trial
A South Carolina judge said the court clerk was “attracted by the siren call of celebrity” around the murder trial of Alex Murdaugh last year.
Justice Jean Toal on Monday denied Murdaugh's motion for a new trial.
Murdaugh and his lawyers alleged that Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill was inappropriately discussing the case with jurors and pressuring them to conclude deliberations quickly.
Toal said she found that Hill was "not completely credible as a witness" and that the clerk of the court wanted to write a book about the Murdaugh trial as early as November 2022, before the proceedings began.
The judge said Hill expressed to other people that she wanted a guilty verdict because it would sell more books.
“The clerk of court allowed public attention of the moment to overcome her duty," Toal said.
Toal said Hill made comments to "one, maybe more" jurors, though she ultimately found that the remarks did not influence the jury.
“I simply do not believe that the authority of our South Carolina Supreme Court requires a new trial in a very lengthy trial such as this on the strength of some fleeting and foolish comments by a publicity-influenced clerk of courts," Toal said.
1 min ago
Judge denies Murdaugh's request for a new trial
Alex Murdaugh is brought out into the courtroom during a hearing at the Richland County Judicial Center in Columbia, South Carolina, on Monday. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier/Pool/AP
Judge Jean Toal has denied Alex Murdaugh's motion for a new trial.
She ruled that statements made by Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill did not influence the decision of the verdict in the murder trial of Murdaugh.
Toal said she read the entire transcript of the previous murder trial and studied all of the authorities cited in the proceedings. She also researched case law for this circumstance.
“I do not believe I abuse my discretion when I find the defendant's motion for a new trial on the factual record before me must be denied,” the judge said.
The judge said Murdaugh needed to prove two things: first, that the clerk made improper comments to members of the jury, and second, that the comments influenced the jurors to convict him.
“Did Clerk of Court Hill’s comments have impact on the verdict of the jury? I find that the answer to this question is no," Toal said.
44 min ago
Judge will rule from the bench soon in the Murdaugh hearing
From CNN's Alta Spells
Judge Jean Toal talks to the court during the Alex Murdaugh jury-tampering hearing at the Richland County Judicial Center on Monday in Columbia, South Carolina. Andrew J. Whitaker/Pool/The Post And Courier/AP
Judge Jean Toal is expected to make a ruling from the bench Monday afternoon in the evidentiary hearing to decide whether Alex Murdaugh should receive a new murder trial.
Murdaugh's attorneys allege the clerk of court for Colleton County, South Carolina, tampered with the jury that last year found him guilty of murdering his wife and son.
Murdaugh and his attorneys allege Rebecca “Becky” Hill inappropriately discussed the case with jurors, pressured them to conclude deliberations quickly and provided false information to the judge about a juror who was ultimately dismissed. Hill did this, Murdaugh’s defense team claims, “to secure for herself a book deal and media appearances that would not happen in the event of a mistrial.”
During her testimony on Monday, Hill denied attempting to influence the jury during the trial.
Murdaugh’s murder convictions could be thrown out and he could receive a new trial if Toal finds that Hill tampered with the jury.
49 min ago
Several jurors were questioned about if the clerk of court influenced their verdict in Murdaugh trial
From CNN's Dakin Andone, Dianne Gallagher and Maxime Tamsett
A South Carolina judge questioned several jurors on Monday from Alex Murdaugh's murder trial conducted last year about potential judicial misconduct.
One of the jurors who found Murdaugh guilty of murdering his wife and 22-year-oldson testified that comments made by the Colleton County, South Carolina, clerk of court influenced her verdict – an allegation which is key to Murdaugh’s quest for a new trial.
But every other juror questioned as part of an evidentiary hearing testified their verdicts were not influenced by the clerk, Rebecca “Becky” Hill, who’s been accused by Murdaugh and his attorneys of inappropriately discussing the case with jurors and pressuring them to conclude deliberations quickly.
Hill has denied the allegations, and she did so again while testifying at the hearing Monday afternoon.
JUST IN: A South Carolina judge denied Alex Murdaugh's request for a new trial. She ruled that statements made by a court clerk did not influence the decision of the verdict in the murder trial.
One of the jurors who found Murdaugh guilty testified Monday comments made by the Colleton County, South Carolina, clerk of court influenced her verdict. But every other juror questioned as part of an evidentiary hearing testified their verdicts were not influenced by the clerk, who’s been accused by Murdaugh and his attorneys of inappropriately discussing the case with jurors and pressuring them to conclude deliberations quickly.
Attorneys for Alex Murdaugh believe the next step will be the Court of Appeals after Justice Jean Toal denied Murdaugh’s request for a new trial on Monday.
“We go from here to Court of Appeals, then South Carolina Supreme Court – and then federal court,” Murdaugh attorney Dick Harpootlian told CNN.
Harpootlian said he believes the process to get back to the Court of Appeals will take about a month.
“It's either going to be decided, in my opinion, in our favor in the appellate court or five years down the road in federal court unless they change the federal law,” said Murdaugh attorney Jim Griffin following the evidentiary hearing.
A South Carolina judge said the court clerk was “attracted by the siren call of celebrity” around the murder trial of Alex Murdaugh last year.
Justice Jean Toal on Monday denied Murdaugh's motion for a new trial.
Murdaugh and his lawyers alleged that Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill was inappropriately discussing the case with jurors and pressuring them to conclude deliberations quickly.
Toal said she found that Hill was "not completely credible as a witness" and that the clerk of the court wanted to write a book about the Murdaugh trial as early as November 2022, before the proceedings began.
The judge said Hill expressed to other people that she wanted a guilty verdict because it would sell more books.
“The clerk of court allowed public attention of the moment to overcome her duty," Toal said.
Toal said Hill made comments to "one, maybe more" jurors, though she ultimately found that the remarks did not influence the jury.
“I simply do not believe that the authority of our South Carolina Supreme Court requires a new trial in a very lengthy trial such as this on the strength of some fleeting and foolish comments by a publicity-influenced clerk of courts," Toal said.
Alex Murdaugh is brought out into the courtroom during a hearing at the Richland County Judicial Center in Columbia, South Carolina, on Monday. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier/Pool/AP
Judge Jean Toal has denied Alex Murdaugh's motion for a new trial.
She ruled that statements made by Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill did not influence the decision of the verdict in the murder trial of Murdaugh.
Toal said she read the entire transcript of the previous murder trial and studied all of the authorities cited in the proceedings. She also researched case law for this circumstance.
“I do not believe I abuse my discretion when I find the defendant's motion for a new trial on the factual record before me must be denied,” the judge said.
The judge said Murdaugh needed to prove two things: first, that the clerk made improper comments to members of the jury, and second, that the comments influenced the jurors to convict him.
“Did Clerk of Court Hill’s comments have impact on the verdict of the jury? I find that the answer to this question is no," Toal said.
Judge Jean Toal talks to the court during the Alex Murdaugh jury-tampering hearing at the Richland County Judicial Center on Monday in Columbia, South Carolina. Andrew J. Whitaker/Pool/The Post And Courier/AP
Judge Jean Toal is expected to make a ruling from the bench Monday afternoon in the evidentiary hearing to decide whether Alex Murdaugh should receive a new murder trial.
Murdaugh's attorneys allege the clerk of court for Colleton County, South Carolina, tampered with the jury that last year found him guilty of murdering his wife and son.
Murdaugh and his attorneys allege Rebecca “Becky” Hill inappropriately discussed the case with jurors, pressured them to conclude deliberations quickly and provided false information to the judge about a juror who was ultimately dismissed. Hill did this, Murdaugh’s defense team claims, “to secure for herself a book deal and media appearances that would not happen in the event of a mistrial.”
During her testimony on Monday, Hill denied attempting to influence the jury during the trial.
Murdaugh’s murder convictions could be thrown out and he could receive a new trial if Toal finds that Hill tampered with the jury.
A South Carolina judge questioned several jurors on Monday from Alex Murdaugh's murder trial conducted last year about potential judicial misconduct.
One of the jurors who found Murdaugh guilty of murdering his wife and 22-year-oldson testified that comments made by the Colleton County, South Carolina, clerk of court influenced her verdict – an allegation which is key to Murdaugh’s quest for a new trial.
But every other juror questioned as part of an evidentiary hearing testified their verdicts were not influenced by the clerk, Rebecca “Becky” Hill, who’s been accused by Murdaugh and his attorneys of inappropriately discussing the case with jurors and pressuring them to conclude deliberations quickly.
Hill has denied the allegations, and she did so again while testifying at the hearing Monday afternoon.
