South Carolina authorities on Wednesday morning charged Becky Hill, the former Colleton County court clerk who presided over the Alex Murdaugh murder trial, with multiple felonies in connection with her conduct surrounding the case.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division on Wednesday afternoon announced that Hill, 57, is facing two counts of misconduct and obstruction of justice charges in Colleton County while her perjury charge is filed in Richland County.
Murdaugh’s attorney, Dick Harpootlian, said on “The Story with Martha MacCallum” that he believes the charges will lead to a new trial.
Charging documents state that the crimes stem from a January 2024 hearing in the South Carolina Supreme Court, when Justice Jean Toal ruled that a new trial was not necessary for Murdaugh, who was convicted in the June 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on his family hunting estate.
Murdaugh had requested the new hearing based on allegations of jury tampering surrounding Hill, which Murdaugh’s defense team had argued warranted a new trial.
Charging documents state that when Toal asked Hill, “Did you allow anyone from the press to view sealed exhibits?” Hill responded, “No, ma’am,” which is apparently inconsistent with evidence obtained by authorities.
The State Ethics Commission last year accused Hill of using her official position as Colleton County clerk for financial gain, specifically to promote her book about the Murdaugh case, part of which she admitted to and apologized for plagiarizing.
The SLED charging documents released Wednesday also accuse Hill of promoting her book on social media.
“We are aware of the charges filed against Becky Hill, and while these developments are serious, they are not surprising,” Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, Murdaugh’s defense attorneys, told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“We have long raised our concerns about her conduct during and after the trial and this arrest further underscores the need to protect the integrity of the judicial process. Every defendant is entitled to a fair and impartial trial and we look forward to Alex Murdaugh finally getting that fair treatment.”
Hill was previously accused of sending herself nearly $10,000 in federal bonuses in the form of child support payments, according to a notice of hearing.
She used federal funds to give food and gifts to court employees, including “Easter Goodies,” Mother’s and Father’s Day gifts, and Valentine’s Day gifts; paint supplies; flowers and decor; various meals for herself; office furniture; dog food, dog bones and a dog bed, among other items.
SLED charging documents make note of the bonus payments.
Of 12 total jurors who found Murdaugh guilty in 2023, 11 said Hill did not influence their decisions.
One said he heard the clerk make comments about watching Murdaugh’s body language but said her words did not influence his verdict.
South Carolina attorney Eric Bland, who represented several victims of Murdaugh’s financial crimes, said he “used to think that there was very little chance that our South Carolina Supreme Court would reverse former Chief Justice Jean Toal’s decision in February 2024 when she denied Alex Murdaugh a new trial on his double murder conviction because of Becky Hill alleged jury interference.”
“I thought that if he was to get any relief, it would come after he exhausted his state court appeals and it would be on the federal level,” Bland said in a Wednesday post on X.
“According to the State Paper, the perjury charge arises out of her testimony that she gave in the February 2024 hearing in front of Justice Toal. I think this further complicates the situation and increases the chances that he will get a reversal and a new trial. It still will come down to whether the federal standard for alleged jury tampering should have been applied by Justice Toal or she was correct in applying the state standard.”
Myra Crosby, a dismissed juror in the Murdaugh murder trial, also known as the “egg juror” after she apparently asked to collect a dozen eggs from the jury room before leaving, told Fox News her belief that “Hill finally being held accountable for the atrocities she did during this trial is a good start.”
“I am hopeful but not confident that the State will do the right thing,” she said in a Wednesday statement.
“If the state believes in their case they should not have a problem giving Alex Murdaugh another trial. One where they don’t have a tainted verdict. I would think that [the] 6th Amendment being upheld would be more important than protecting a verdict. It remains to be seen as to what will happen but I am praying that I can have a justice system that I can believe in again rather than a corrupt good ol boy system.”
She further suggested that juries on future cases be sequestered and instructed not to speak with anyone, including court officials like Hill.
“Not everyone has been a juror and, when questioned by a court official, knows that it is wrong. I certainly didn’t,” she said.
The former court clerk, who held her position for about four years, resigned in March following allegations of jury tampering in the Murdaugh trial but maintained that her decision to leave office was not the result of her conduct during the double murder trial.
“Another significant impact in our clerk’s office was in 2023, when we had to manage one of the biggest trials in South Carolina history. Our small town came together and made everyone proud,” Hill said during a news conference at the time to announce her resignation.
“Managing a trial with such importance to the people of South Carolina, as well as to the national and international media interest and public scrutiny, has caused me to reflect upon decisions involving my stay in the office of the clerk of court.”
She added that her decision not to seek re-election in 2024 would allow her to “focus on being a wife, a mother and a grandmother,” and that she wants to provide “ample time to other Republican candidates” interested in the position of Colleton County court clerk.
Her former attorney, Justin Bamberg, who has represented victims of Murdaugh’s financial crimes, said at a March news conference that Hill’s decision had nothing to do with any pending investigations involving the clerk.
Fox News’ Kelly Skehen contributed to this report.
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