A former court clerk involved in the trial of Alex Murdaugh, who was convicted in 2023 of murdering his wife and son, has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including misconduct in office and perjury. Prosecutors allege that Becky Hill, 57, misused public funds, shared sealed court information with a reporter, and committed perjury.
Following Murdaugh's life sentence, his legal team sought a new trial, claiming that Hill had improperly influenced jurors. A judge denied this request, stating that while Hill's comments were "fleeting and foolish," they did not sufficiently impact the jury's guilty verdict. Murdaugh's lawyers have since appealed this ruling.
During the trial, Murdaugh's defense accused Hill of misconduct, citing inappropriate conversations with jurors. Two jurors provided sworn affidavits claiming that Hill warned them not to be misled by Murdaugh's defense and suggested that deliberations would not take long. Hill has denied these allegations, which prompted an investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
On March 2, 2023, a jury found Murdaugh guilty after deliberating for less than three hours. Hill, who had been the elected clerk of court for Colleton County since 2020, read the verdicts. Following the trial, she published a book detailing her experiences, which raised concerns among jurors about her conduct.
Subsequently, Murdaugh's lawyers accused Hill of jury tampering, leading to an ethics investigation by the state attorney general. The State Ethics Commission found probable cause that Hill had misused her position for personal gain, and she later admitted to plagiarizing parts of her book. Hill resigned in March 2024.
After her arrest, Hill posted a $10,000 bond for the misconduct and obstruction charges and a $50,000 bond for the perjury charge. Murdaugh's conviction marked a significant downfall for a lawyer who had previously stolen millions from clients and colleagues while maintaining a prominent legal legacy in South Carolina.
Despite his conviction, Murdaugh continues to assert his innocence regarding the murders of his wife and son, which occurred in June 2021. He has acknowledged his financial crimes and was sentenced to an additional 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to those charges.
The state attorney general emphasized that the verdict against Murdaugh illustrates that no one is above the law, regardless of their societal status.