U.S. District Judge Richard Mark Gergel has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Alexander Murdaugh against former county clerk Rebecca 'Becky' Hill. Murdaugh sought to recover $600,000 in legal expenses related to his first murder trial.
The lawsuit argued that Hill's alleged misconduct violated Murdaugh's right to a fair trial in the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.
Judge Gergel ruled that Murdaugh lacked standing to sue Hill because her alleged misconduct was not the proximate cause of his need to fund his defense costs. 'Defendant’s misconduct was not a proximate cause of Plaintiff’s need to fund defense costs,' Gergel stated.
The judge noted that Murdaugh's claim had a 'fatal flaw — no causal connection between defense funds and Defendant’s misconduct.'
Amount Murdaugh sought to recover from Hill for legal expenses.
In court papers, Murdaugh said he spent $600,000 from a retirement account to pay for his lawyers during the first trial. The South Carolina Supreme Court had earlier overturned his murder convictions on May 13 and ordered a new trial, finding that Hill's conduct with jurors amounted to 'shocking jury interference.'
Murdaugh, 58, remains in prison serving sentences for separate financial crimes. He pleaded guilty to financial offenses involving approximately $12 million after admitting to stealing millions from clients and his former law firm. Prosecutors alleged that Murdaugh killed Maggie and Paul to generate sympathy and buy time to address mounting financial problems.
A retrial for Murdaugh on the murder charges has been scheduled for April 5, 2027.
