Alex Murdaugh has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill, accusing her of violating his constitutional right to a fair trial by allegedly interfering with the jury during his 2023 double-murder trial.
The complaint, filed May 17, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, claims Hill acted under color of state law when she allegedly made improper comments to jurors, including telling them not to be “fooled,” “confused,” “thrown off,” or “convinced” by Murdaugh and his defense team. The lawsuit argues those comments effectively encouraged jurors to question Murdaugh’s credibility and convict him.
Murdaugh’s attorneys point to the South Carolina Supreme Court’s May 13, 2026 ruling, which reversed his murder convictions and ordered a new trial. In that ruling, the state’s high court found Hill “placed her fingers on the scales of justice” and violated Murdaugh’s right to a fair trial before an impartial jury.
The lawsuit alleges Hill’s motive was personal profit. According to the complaint, Hill wanted to write a book about the trial and allegedly believed a guilty verdict would help sell more copies. The filing claims she discussed wanting a guilty verdict because it would be “the best way to sell books” and referenced needing money for a lake house.
The complaint also revisits allegations involving Juror No. 785, including claims that Hill fabricated or mishandled information about a supposed Facebook post by the juror’s ex-husband. Murdaugh’s attorneys allege Hill questioned the juror about whether she leaned guilty or not guilty, then later made comments that further pressured or influenced the juror.
Murdaugh is seeking at least $600,000 in compensatory damages, claiming that money was spent on his first murder trial defense and was lost because Hill’s alleged misconduct caused the trial to be overturned. He is also seeking punitive damages, attorney’s fees, costs, and a jury trial.
The lawsuit comes after Hill resigned from office in March 2024 and later pleaded guilty to perjury, obstruction of justice, and misconduct in office. The complaint claims her conduct was not only improper but “deliberate,” “egregious,” and driven by her desire to benefit from the publicity surrounding one of South Carolina’s most closely watched murder trials.
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