Alex Murdaugh, a convicted murderer, has been denied a new trial after it was discovered that a court clerk had tampered with the jury’s decision before they delivered their verdict, Scripps News reported.
Judge Jean Tory ruled that Murdaugh’s attorney had failed to prove how the communications between the court clerk and jury influenced their decision.
The convicted man, who was sentenced to a double murder trial, had appealed his case based on jury tampering.
Murdaugh was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2021 for the killing of his wife Margaret Murdaugh and son Paul Murdaugh. He has more than 100 charges against him, ranging from money laundering to tax evasion to embezzlement.
He belonged to an influential family of lawyers and politicians.
Murdaugh's attorneys said that Becky Hill, the clerk for Colleton County, made prejudicial comments to the jury before they gave their decision.
The court heard testimony Monday from all 12 members of the jury who convicted Murdaugh.
A juror stated in her testimony that the court clerk persuaded her to deliver a guilty verdict. She testified that communications from the clerk about Murdaugh "made it seem like he was already guilty."
The juror also said that she felt pressured by her fellow jury members to give a guilty verdict.
The other eleven jurors all attested that they made their decision solely based on the information that was offered to them during the trial.
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