Alex Murdaugh seeks new trial, alleges jury tampering motion

Lawyers for Alex Murdaugh claim that the court clerk tampered with jurors to secure a book deal. They request a new trial.

In an exclusive interview with Martha McCallum on FOX Nation, Buster opens up about why he believes his father's trial was unjust. Lawyers representing Alex Murdaugh have filed a motion requesting a new trial in Columbia, South Carolina, claiming that the court clerk, Rebecca Hill, tampered with jurors in order to secure a book deal. Hill wrote a memoir titled "Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders," which was released on August 1. The motion alleges that Hill pressured jurors to reach a quick verdict and had frequent private conversations with the jury foreperson to influence them towards a guilty verdict. The lawyers argue that Hill's actions were driven by a desire for money and fame, betraying her oath of office. Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, the attorneys representing Murdaugh, will provide further details about their allegations at a press conference outside the state's Court of Appeals.

Alex Murdaugh, 55, was sentenced in March to two consecutive life terms for the murders of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and his son, Paul Murdaugh, 22. The defense lawyers' announcement comes shortly after the airing of the Fox Nation docuseries "The Fall of the House of Murdaugh," which featured an interview with Buster Murdaugh, the surviving son of Alex Murdaugh. Buster expressed his belief that his father's trial was unfair, stating that he had spent six weeks studying the case and believed that the trial was biased from the start. He also suggested that many jurors shared this sentiment prior to deliberation.

The trial, which lasted six grueling weeks in the Colleton County Courthouse, was attended by Buster every day. The jury returned a guilty verdict on all counts in less than three hours. James McDowell, one of the jurors, stated that the evidence against Murdaugh was overwhelming, although he felt that the prosecutors had not presented a convincing motive. The state argued that Murdaugh killed his wife and son on their hunting estate, Moselle, on June 7, 2021, in an act of self-preservation. Murdaugh was facing exposure for allegedly embezzling over $9 million from his law firm and clients. On the day of the murders, the CFO of his former law firm confronted him about missing fees, and he had a hearing scheduled for a wrongful death lawsuit. This lawsuit stemmed from a 2019 boat wreck in which Paul crashed his father's boat, resulting in the death of Mallory Beach and injuries to four others. Murdaugh faced a multimillion-dollar claim that could have exposed his financial wrongdoing. While Murdaugh admitted to stealing the money to support his opioid addiction, he maintained his innocence in the murders of his wife and son.