MORNING HEADLINES | Disbarred and imprisoned Lowcountry lawyer Alex Murdaugh on Sunday filed a federal lawsuit against ex-Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill following last week’s unanimous S.C. Supreme Court ruling that overturned his convictions for murdering his wife and son.
The 17-page lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Charleston. It accuses Hill of violating Murdaugh’s right to a fair trial and “wrongful conduct.” Murdaugh is seeking punitive and compensatory damages and attorneys’ fees. Murdaugh spent $600,000 on his trial defense, according to the suit.
Jim Griffin, one of Murdaugh’s attorneys, added Monday that none of the $600,000 would go to Murdaugh directly and that the number is based on a public number of the receivership for Murdaugh’s defense.
Hill has never been charged with jury tampering, but in December 2025, she pleaded guilty to perjury, obstruction of justice and misconduct.
Prosecutors say they plan to retry Murdaugh for the murders, which likely means there will be another lengthy trial. The case became a true crime sensation with several streaming miniseries, bestselling books and dozens of true crime podcasts.
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