Alex Murdaugh’s lawsuit against Rebecca Hill dismissed by judge who says clerk doesn’t owe him for defense

Inja News آگوست 5, 2026 2 minutes read

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A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by Alexander Murdaugh seeking to recover $600,000 in legal expenses from the county clerk accused of interfering with the jury in his murder trial.

U.S. District Judge Richard Mark Gergel ruled that Murdaugh lacked standing to sue Rebecca “Becky” Hill because her alleged misconduct did not cause him to incur the costs of defending himself.

Murdaugh would have needed to pay for his defense regardless of Hill’s actions because she did not initiate the murder charges or prosecution, Gergel wrote.

DISGRACED MURDAUGH TRIAL CLERK WHO HELPED BLOW UP MURDER CONVICTION CLAIMS PROTECTION FROM PAYBACK LAWSUIT

“Simply stated, Defendant’s misconduct was not a proximate cause of Plaintiff’s need to fund his defense costs,” the order said.

Split photo of Alex Murdaugh and Becky Hill

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The lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice, meaning Murdaugh could seek to file another claim if he can present a legally sufficient theory.

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Murdaugh sued Hill under a federal civil rights law, alleging that her communications with jurors violated his rights under the Sixth and 14th Amendments. He said he liquidated his 401K account before trial and spent $600,000 on his defense.

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Alex Murdaugh reacts as he addresses the court during his sentencing for stealing from 18 clients, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, at the Beaufort County Courthouse in Beaufort, S.C. The push for a new murder trial of disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh faces a steep uphill battle after a state judge limited witness questioning and set a high burden of proof surrounding bombshell claims that the court clerk tampered with the jury during last year's hotly-watched proceedings.

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The South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously overturned Murdaugh’s murder convictions on May 13 and ordered a new trial, finding that Hill’s conduct with jurors amounted to “shocking jury interference.”

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