Alex Murdaugh files civil rights lawsuit against former court clerk for jury tampering

BREAKING NEWSMay. 18, 2026, 4:37 PM UTCU.S. newsU.S. newsAlex Murdaugh files civil rights lawsuit against former court clerk for jury tamperingSouth Carolina’s Supreme Court recently overturned Murdaugh’s double murder convictions, ruling that Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill had improperly influenced the jury. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Alex Murdaugh during his sentencing in Beaufort, S.C., on Nov. 28, 2023.Andrew J. Whitaker / AP fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Nicole Acevedo and Pilar MelendezDisgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh is suing Rebecca “Becky” Hill, the former court clerk who allegedly interfered with the jury that convicted him in the murders of his wife and son in 2023.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The civil rights lawsuit filed Sunday in the U.S. District Court of South Carolina comes four days after the state’s highest court overturned Murdaugh’s double murder convictions and life sentence, saying he was denied his right to a fair trial because of Hill’s “improper external influences on the jury.”“Mr. Murdaugh brings this action to hold Ms. Hill accountable for her wrongful conduct under color of state law and to recover compensatory and punitive damages as provided by law,” the lawsuit reads.In the lawsuit, Murdaugh’s legal team claims he suffered $600,000 in monetary damages as a result of Hill’s actions. They also said Murdaugh is entitled to recovery of attorney’s fees and costs.Hill’s attorney, Will Lewis, was not immediately available to comment on the lawsuit. Murdaugh’s defense team, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, are expected to comment on the lawsuit in a press conference Monday afternoon.Murdaugh, a former personal injury lawyer, was convicted two years ago in the June 2021 slayings of his wife, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, and their 22-year-old son, Paul Murdaugh. The trial drew so much national attention that it became a true crime ph...