The defense attorney for convicted killer Alex Murdaugh believes that newly found evidence suggesting jury tampering could potentially overturn the South Carolina lawyer’s murder conviction.
Dick Harpootlian, a Columbia attorney and former state senator who spearheaded Murdaugh’s defense, explained to Fox News Digital that Becky Hill, the Colleton County Clerk of Court, compromised the jury during the 2023 double murder trial, warranting a new trial.
“Had she not interfered with the jury, the least we would have faced was a mistrial,” said Harpootlian. “There were two jurors—two—who would not have reached a guilty verdict if not for Becky Hill’s influence.”
Murdaugh was found guilty of the murders of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh, who were shot to death on June 7, 2021 at the family’s hunting estate in Colleton County, South Carolina. He was convicted on two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in March 2023.
Murdaugh replied that he would be back that afternoon and that he “had to deal with some bulls— this morning.”
“Ok Brother just give me a holler,” Smith texted, later adding, “Leaving the house now.”
The day before the murders, Murdaugh texted Smith, “Call me back.”
Within a span of two minutes the morning after the murder, Smith texted Murdaugh, “Tell me what I heard is not true,” and, “Call me please.”
Those texts went unreturned, and around 6:30 p.m., and Smith cryptically texted Murdaugh, “At fishing hole.”
After that message was also met with silence, he texted, “803 *** **13 it will not go through on my phone.”
From left to right, Buster, Maggie, Paul and Alex Murdaugh in an undated photo. (Facebook)
Harpootlian also questioned why Smith had not been prosecuted, calling it “perplexing” and “unjust.”
“Eddie Smith, according to the attorney general, is probably the largest distributor of OxyContin in the state’s history—and he has not been prosecuted,” he said. “Everybody else who was indicted pleaded guilty—except Eddie Smith.”
The defense attorney also criticized South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who he claims referred to Hill as “Becky Boo” during the trial.
Harpootlian said Wilson’s relationship with Hill is a conflict of interest and urged him to recuse himself from any future investigation into her conduct. Fox News Digital has reached out to Wilson’s office for comment.
“There should be a grand jury investigation into Becky Hill’s conduct,” he said. “But the AG hasn’t opened one. Maybe he’s waiting to see what the Supreme Court does.”
If the court grants a new trial, Harpootlian said it will be “a very different case.”
Since Murdaugh has already pleaded guilty to financial crimes, the prosecution will no longer be able to present weeks of financial evidence.
“All that will be left is the forensic evidence and the facts,” he said. “And the forensic evidence, I believe, overwhelmingly proves that Alec Murdaugh did not kill Paul and Maggie.”
