A juror from Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial expressed shock Wednesday over the South Carolina Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the disgraced lawyer’s conviction, telling NBC News that she never thought the county official accused of improperly influencing the panel had done so.
“I never felt that the clerk of court was pushing an agenda or trying to push me to come to a certain verdict,” Amie Williams said. “Never felt that way about her at all.”
Williams called the court’s decision to toss the conviction “crazy” and described former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill — who was tasked with overseeing the jury in Murdaugh’s trial — as “so gracious” and “super helpful.”
But in a unanimous opinion, South Carolina’s five Supreme Court justices agreed that Hill “egregiously attacked” Murdaugh’s credibility through “shocking jury interference.”
The opinion cited a juror who said Hill told the panel to watch the defendant closely before he testified in his 2023 trial and “not to be fooled” by the evidence presented by Murdaugh’s attorneys. The juror said the comments influenced her to find Murdaugh guilty.
The scion of a prominent South Carolina legal dynasty, Murdaugh was convicted in March 2023 in the murder of his 22-year-old son, Paul, and wife, Margaret. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Murdaugh, 57, has maintained his innocence and said he would never harm his family. Prosecutors said he carried out the murder plot to distract from financial crimes that threatened to derail his reputation as a well-known personal injury lawyer in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
Separately, Murdaugh is serving state and federal prison sentences after pleading guilty to financial crimes. Prosecutors had accused him of stealing millions from clients.
Wednesday’s opinion overturned his conviction in the double murder case and ordered a new trial.
In a news conference, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said that Hill’s conduct was inappropriate but ultimately harmless. He said he hopes his office can retry Hill by the end of the year.
In a statement, Murdaugh’s attorneys said they respect the high court’s decision and “look forward to a new trial conducted consistent with the Constitution and the guidance this Court has provided.”
The opinion cited two other jurors who recalled Hill making comments about Murdaugh, but they said those comments didn’t influence their decision. No other jurors heard Hill discuss the defendant, according to the opinion.
Hill’s attorneys have not responded to a request for comment. During a hearing on the matter, she denied trying to influence the jury but acknowledged giving them “a little talk” about Murdaugh’s decision to testify, according to the opinion.
Separately, Hill pleaded guilty last year to charges of obstruction, perjury and misconduct in office. Prosecutors accused her of showing a reporter photographs that were in sealed court exhibits and lying about it. She was also accused of using her office to promote a book she co-authored about the Murdaugh case.
Hill was sentenced to a year of probation.
“There is no excuse for the mistakes I made,” she said at the time. “ I’m ashamed of them.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
