Startling Resignation: Court Clerk In Alex Murdaugh Case ABRUPTLY Steps Down

This announcement was made during her first public appearance since the accusations were leveled against her by Murdaugh's legal team last year.

Hill, accompanied by her attorney Justin Bamberg, confirmed her decision to step down from her role with immediate effect during a press conference held at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Monday morning. She also stated that she would not be seeking reelection.

Hill expressed her intention to focus on her personal life, stating, "I will now be able to focus on being a wife, mother and grandmother to my two grandboys, and will be spending time with the people who mean the most to me."

Bamberg clarified that Hill's resignation was not a response to any new developments in the ongoing state investigations against her. Instead, it was about providing an opportunity for other candidates to run for the position. He declined to comment on the state investigation against Hill.

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March 26, 2024

Hill is currently under investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) for allegations of abusing her government position for financial and personal gain. The specific accusation is that she tampered with the jury during Murdaugh's trial to boost sales of her upcoming book. SLED is the same agency that led the investigation into the 2021 murders of Murdaugh's wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.

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Hill has been serving as the Colleton County clerk of court since her election in 2020. She was the clerk during what has been dubbed the Lowcountry's "trial of the century." When the jury returned its verdict, it was Hill who announced Murdaugh's conviction on all charges.

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Following the six-week-long trial in early 2023, Hill authored a book providing an insider's perspective on the trial. However, in September, Murdaugh's attorneys filed a motion for a retrial, alleging that Hill had tampered with jurors and influenced them towards a guilty verdict to enhance her book sales.

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During Murdaugh's retrial hearing in January, retired South Carolina Chief Justice Jean Toal denied the request for a new trial. However, she did express doubts about Hill's credibility as a witness, acknowledging a conflict of interest but stating that the "fleeting and foolish comments by a publicity-seeking clerk of court" were not sufficient grounds for a new trial.

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During cross-examination, Murdaugh's attorney, Dick Harpoolitan, read an excerpt from Hill's book where she claimed to have shared an "unspoken understanding" with the jurors about Murdaugh's guilt during a visit to his estate. Harpoolitan also questioned whether she had fabricated facts due to financial motivations.

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Hill admitted under oath to taking some "poetic license" but denied telling jurors that she believed Murdaugh was guilty. She also confessed to earning around $100,000 from book sales and apologized for plagiarizing a BBC reporter's work in her book.

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In December 2023, sales of Hill's book, co-authored with Neil Gordon and titled "Behind the Doors of Justice: the Murdaugh Murders," were halted due to revelations of plagiarism. Gordon stated that Hill had admitted to plagiarizing a portion of the book without his knowledge due to deadline pressures.

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Despite the allegations against her, Hill has denied all accusations made in the September motion. The state has dismissed the allegations as "a sweeping conspiratorial theory," stating that "not every inappropriate comment made by a member of court staff to a juror rises to the level of constitutional error."

One of the most serious accusations involves the dismissal of juror number 785 just hours before jury deliberations began. Murdaugh's attorneys claim that Hill "invented a story about a Facebook post to remove a juror she believed might not vote guilty."

Murdaugh has consistently denied killing his wife and younger son since he found their bodies at their Colleton County home in 2021. He testified in his own defense. He is also serving a 27-year sentence after admitting to stealing $12 million from his law firm and from settlements he gained for clients on wrongful death and serious injury lawsuits. As part of his plea deal, Murdaugh has agreed not to appeal this sentence.