Former South Carolina Supreme Court Justice Jean Toal will preside over the three-day evidentiary hearing regarding Alex Murdaugh’s new trial, which is scheduled for Jan. 29 in Richland County.
Murdaugh’s defense team filed a motion for a new trial alleging jury tampering on the part of Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill. In the pre-trial brief, the defense lists four murder trial jurors, Barnwell County Clerk of Court Rhonda McElveen, various court employees in addition to Judge Cliffton Newman, and Rebecca Hill herself.
In the pre-trial document it states, “Ms. Hill is the only witness the State can offer who can directly contradict Juror 630’s averments of jury tampering, and Ms. Hill has offered an affidavit doing exactly that. Her credibility is the crux of the matter before the Court. The purpose of the evidentiary hearing is to allow the Court to decide whether it believes the word of Mrs. Hill more than it believes the sworn testimony of one or more jurors.”
Furthermore, the brief states “Murdaugh has no objection to the State calling other jurors who were in that room to testify that they never heard Ms. Hill make inappropriate statements,” the brief continues, “But Mr. Murdaugh objects to calling jurors who were in a different room to testify that they never heard Ms. Hill make inappropriate statements.”
The defense will try to introduce evidence impeaching Mrs. Hill including emails, text messages, telephone records, testimony form court staff, testimony, and documentary evidence from persons involved in the production of her book.
The hearing will take place January 29th.
