COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Court of Appeals has agreed to put Alex Murdaugh's appeal of his murder convictions on hold while his legal team makes claims that there was jury tampering in his high-profile trial.
The court issued an order Tuesday that temporarily pauses the appeal made to their court. This procedural move allows Murdaugh to file a motion for a new trial in a lower court by arguing there was jury tampering during his six-week long trial earlier this year.
The order says Murdaugh's legal team must give status updates on their efforts every 30 days. If they don't, it could result in his appeal being dismissed.
Murdaugh was convicted in March of the June 2021 murders of his wife Maggie and youngest son Paul following a six-week-long trial that drew international attention. He is serving two consecutive life sentences for those crimes at an undisclosed prison in South Carolina. Murdaugh maintained his innocence through the trial and during the appeal process.
But in September, his attorneys filed a 65-page motion outlining what they say was jury tampering during the trial by Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill. They alleged that Hill had private conversations with jurors about the case, asked jurors about their opinions about whether Murdaugh was guilty, instructed jurors not to believe the evidence, lied to the judge to remove a juror who Hill believed was going to vote guilty and pressured the jury to make a decision quickly.
They claim several jurors have signed affidavits to back up their claims.
In a statement, Murdaugh's lawyers Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin said: "The recent ruling to stay the appeal and remand the case for a hearing on Alex Murdaugh's motion for a new trial is welcomed news. We intend to proceed expeditiously and will seek a full blown evidentiary hearing addressing the serious allegations pertaining to improper jury communications by the Clerk of Court."
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, whose office prosecuted Murdaugh, ordered the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to investigate those claims but fought against him being allowed to seek a new trial. While the SLED probe continues, Wilson said on September 15 that the investigation so far had "revealed significant factual disputes" on Murdaugh's tampering claims.
In September, Murdaugh admitted in federal court to 22 counts of financial fraud and money laundering. Murdaugh acknowledges he stole from money meant to provide care for a man paralyzed from the neck down in a wreck, from two sisters who were children when they lost their mother and brother in a crash, and the estate of his longtime maid who died in a fall at the family home and from others.
Murdaugh still faces about 100 different charges in state court. Authorities said he committed insurance fraud by trying to have someone kill him so his surviving son could get $10 million in life insurance, but the shot only grazed Murdaugh's head. Investigators said Murdaugh also failed to pay taxes on the money he stole, took settlement money from several clients and his family's law firm, and ran a drug and money laundering ring.