Nearly three years after his murder conviction, Alex Murdaugh’s lawyers have asked the South Carolina Supreme Court to throw it out.  

The defense addressed the court’s justices on Wednesday and claimed that former Colleton County Clerk of Court Mary Rebecca Hill influenced the jurors’ ruling in Murdaugh’s 2023 conviction.

The disgraced lawyer is serving two life sentences for killing of his wife and son.  

Murdaugh’s attorney, Dick Harpootlian, claims Hill tainted Murdaugh’s constitutional right to a fair trial for the sake of a book she was writing about the case.

‘If only the people who may be innocent get a fair trial, then our Constitution isn’t working,’ Harpootlian said.

Hill was accused of making comments to the jury about Murdaugh’s demeanor, jury tampering and multiple ethics violations.

The 58-year-old stepped down from her role in 2024 amid the controversy. 

She pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in office, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of perjury in December 2025. 

Former Colleton County Clerk of Court Mary Rebecca ‘Becky’ Hill smiles after pleading guilty

Murdaugh was sentenced to two life sentences in 2023 on top of 40 years in prison for federal financial crimes

‘There is no excuse for the mistakes I made,’ Hill said at the time. ‘I’m ashamed of them and will carry that shame the rest of my life.’ 

She was sentenced to three years’ probation. 

At Wednesday’s hearing, South Carolina Supreme Court Justice John Kittredge classified Hill as a ‘rogue clerk,’ calling her behavior during the trial ‘improper.’

‘There were top-notch attorneys on both sides and a rogue Clerk,’ he said.

‘It was improper. Perhaps not improper to the point of reversal, but it was improper.’

Prosecutor Creighton Waters said Hill’s comments to the jury were fleeting amid the ‘overwhelming’ evidence against Murdaugh.

‘They were not appropriate. They were not,’ he said. ‘But they do not justify reversal.’

Hill was in charge of taking care of the jury, overseeing evidence and helping the judge during the six-week trial. 

Hill had played a prominent role as Alex Murdaugh (pictured in 2023) appeals his convictions 

Murdaugh’s lawyer, Dick Harpootlian, claimed his client was not granted the right to an unbiased jury

During the investigation, three jurors or alternates suggested Hill was attempting to influence them. Eleven others questioned by state agents said she did nothing wrong. 

Harpootlian claimed she called Murdaugh’s testimony an ‘epic day,’ reported WYFF 4, and encouraged them not to ‘be fooled’ by the defense’s evidence.

A journalist told investigators that Hill showed graphic crime scene photos to several media members.

A warrant on her misconduct charge said Hill used her role as clerk of court to promote her book about the Murdaugh trial on social media. 

Hill was accused of 76 counts of ethics violations last May. 

Murdaugh’s lawyers saw Hill’s conviction as an opportunity for redemption for the convicted killer.

Defenders appealed to the South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday

‘He insists that he did not kill his wife and child, and he wants the world to know that,’ Harpootlian said. ‘And the way that you get that is a new trial.’

The defense also alleged there was a lack of evidence linking Murdaugh to the murders, including no blood on his clothes and missing weapons. 

The Supreme Court will deliberate privately. An official decision on the appeal could take weeks.

Even if the court calls for a retrial, Murdaugh will continue to serve a 40-year sentence for federal financial crimes.

The Daily Mail contacted Hill, Harpootlian and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office for comment.