Court overturns Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions
The former South Carolina court clerk whose actions played a key role in undoing Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions is now asking a federal judge to throw out the lawsuit he filed against her.
In a motion submitted Thursday, former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill asked the court to dismiss Murdaugh’s suit, which seeks $600,000 in damages. Murdaugh argues he should be compensated for the money he spent defending himself during his 2023 double-murder trial.
Hill’s legal team says he is not entitled to recover those costs and urged the judge to reject the case on several grounds. Among them, they argue Hill is shielded from liability because the conduct at issue took place while she was performing her official duties as clerk of court.
“Most critically, even if Plaintiff states a compensable claim, Defendant is nonetheless entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity, quasi-judicial immunity, and qualified immunity, all of which bars Plaintiff’s suit,” Hill’s attorneys wrote in the filing.
The latest court fight follows a dramatic turn in the Murdaugh case. The South Carolina Supreme Court recently overturned his two murder convictions and vacated the life sentences tied to the killings of his wife and son, finding that Hill improperly influenced jurors in a way that appeared aimed at helping her book sales.
Even so, Murdaugh remains behind bars. The disbarred attorney is still serving a 40-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to a wide range of financial crimes.
