State Responds to Murdaugh Appeal, Dismissing Jury Tampering Claims

The State of South Carolina has issued its response following the Supreme Court’s decision to hear convicted killer Alex Murdaugh’s appeal, which is based on allegations of jury tampering.

In April, Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office requested additional time to respond to the appeal and was granted a 120-day extension, setting a deadline of August 8. The state’s 182-page response was filed on that date.

In the filing, prosecutors argued that Murdaugh was convicted because he was “obviously” guilty, not because three jurors heard comments from court clerk Becky Hill regarding his upcoming testimony. The state described Hill’s remarks as “foolish and fleeting,” maintaining they did not amount to a structural error. Prosecutors also said any presumption of prejudice from the comments is rebuttable and that Murdaugh’s legal team failed to provide “any real support for this novel claim.”

The attorney general’s office further stated that Murdaugh waived his objection to the introduction of financial crimes evidence by not appealing the trial judge’s decision to admit it.