A juror who presided over Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial last year testified Monday that comments from Colleton County Court Clerk Becky Hill influenced his guilty verdict.
The juror, known as Juror Z, said Hill told jurors to watch Alex Murdaugh “closely” and observe his “actions,” adding that he reached a guilty verdict because of the clerk's comments.
“To me…she made it look like he was already guilty,” said Juror Z, the first to testify Monday, when asked how the clerk inspired his verdict.
Murdaugh's defense team and South Carolina prosecutors will be able to question Hill, accused of jury tampering, in the convicted killer's bid for a new trial, Judge Jean Toal ruled Friday as Murdaugh fights for a new trial.
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Judge Jean Toal ruled that jurors who presided over Alex Murdaugh's murder trial can testify about alleged jury tampering during Murdaugh's hearing for a new trial. (Gavin McIntyre/The Post and Courier via AP, Pool)
The disgraced attorney's defense team argues that Hill allegedly pressured jurors to convict him in the June 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on their family hunting property.
Juror Z also testified that other jurors also made her feel pressured to return a guilty verdict, as indicated by her affidavit.
Following Juror Z's testimony, Toal officially announced that the jurors' cell phones had not been confiscated on Monday morning and that they were able to watch a live stream of the proceedings on their phones. The judge then called a five-minute recess.
“Murphy's Law. What can go wrong, will go wrong at the worst possible time. And Murphy was an optimist.”
On Friday, Toal questioned another juror who presided over the Murdaugh murder trial, known as Juror X, about Hill's conduct because the jury had a scheduling conflict with Monday's proceedings.
Alex Murdaugh has his handcuffs removed as he addresses the court during his sentencing for robbing 18 clients, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, at the Beaufort County Courthouse in Beaufort, South Carolina. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool)
When Toal asked if Juror
When the judge asked the jury if their “verdict was influenced by any form of communication from Becky Hill,” the jury responded, “No, your honor.”
Finally, when Toal asked the jury about problems with the private meetings apparently held with Hill and whether they had anything to do with the Murdaugh murder case, Juror “to do with the case.” “.
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Judge Toal is expected to question the rest of the jurors on Monday. Toal said he plans to call the jurors one by one and examine them until everyone has been questioned.
After the jury questioning, prosecutors and Murdaugh's defense attorneys will be able to question Hill. Toal has made it clear that Hill “is not on trial” and that the court clerk will only have to answer relevant questions.
Alex Murdaugh's attorneys, Dick Harpootlian, left, and Jim Griffin speak during Alex Murdaugh's sentencing for robbing 18 clients, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, at the Beaufort County Courthouse in Beaufort, South Carolina. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool)
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Murdaugh's attorneys, Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian, alleged in his motion for a new trial, Hill advised jurors not to believe Murdaugh's testimony, pressured the panel to reach a “quick guilty verdict,” and lied to the trial judge in a campaign to remove a panelist who was sympathetic to the defense.
“Ms. Hill did these things to secure a book deal and media appearances that would not occur in the event of a mistrial,” the document says. “Ms. Hill betrayed her oath for money and fame.”
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South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has opened two investigations into Hill's conduct during the Murdaugh murder trial, including an investigation into allegations that Hill used her position as a secretary to financially benefit from sales of her book about the case, which she later admitted included writings plagiarized, and another investigation into jury tampering. accusations.
Rebecca Hill arrives at the “Today” studio in New York City on March 6, 2023. She clerked for Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial. (Jennifer Mitchell for Fox News Digital)
Murdaugh, 55, was sentenced in March to two life sentences for fatally shooting his 52-year-old wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and their son. Paul Murdaugh, 22 years old, in June 2021.
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The disgraced South Carolina attorney was also sentenced to 27 years in November for his financial crimes. He agreed to plead guilty to 22 charges, including breach of trust, money laundering, forgery and tax evasion, about 100 counts totaling up to $10 million in exchange for a 27-year prison sentence.
Murdaugh previously pleaded guilty to 22 counts of financial fraud and money laundering in federal court.
Fox News' Chelsea Torres and Rebecca Rosenberg contributed to this report.
