COLUMBIA, S.C. — The legal team for convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh is asking for the judge in his ongoing legal proceedings to be removed from the case.
Wednesday, Murdaugh's legal team filed what's known as a petition for writ of prohibition with the South Carolina Supreme Court. It essentially asks that Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman no longer work on any case associated with Murdaugh, including his hearing for a motion for a new trial and his state charges on financial crimes that are set to begin later this month.
Newman, a veteran judge in the state, notably presided over Murdaugh's trial for the killings of the disgraced attorney's wife, Maggie, and adult son Paul. Murdaugh was convicted on both charges and sentenced to life in prison but now wants a new trial and continues to maintain his innocence.
The filing cites as their reasons for seeking Newman's removal the comments he made to media outlets in the wake of the high-profile trial after it concluded in early March. Newman discussed his thoughts on Murdaugh's guilt, although they were similar to comments he made directly to Murdaugh while sentencing him. Newman also discussed the strategy of his legal team, the filing says. Murduaugh's lawyers feel this shows he can't be impartial going forward.
A significant part of their motion for a new trial is their claim that the Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill tampered with the jury, making multiple prejudicial remarks. The state said they heard from three jurors who said Hill told some of them not to trust Murdaugh when he testified in his defense. They said the court clerk, in charge of helping jurors and ensuring the trial ran efficiently, also had private conversations with the jury foreperson and pressured jurors to come to a quick verdict.
Murdaugh's attorneys believe Newman may have personal knowledge of the clerk's conduct.
On Oct. 17, the South Carolina Court of Appeals agreed to put Murdaugh's appeal on hold to allow his attorneys to file a motion for a new trial. That motion was filed last week, but it's unclear when a hearing may occur.