Topline: A federal judge has dismissed Alex Murdaugh’s bid to make former clerk Becky Hill cover $600,000 in legal costs tied to his upcoming double-murder retrial.
Published: August 6, 2026 4:49 pm ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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Alex Murdaugh, left, and his wife Maggie Murdaugh, middle, and younger son, Paul Murdaugh.
CHARLESTON, SC — Alex Murdaugh’s effort to force former Colleton County Clerk Becky Hill to pay for part of his defense in the case accusing him of killing his wife and son has been thrown out, cutting off a new civil front in one of South Carolina’s most watched murder cases.
According to WFLA, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel ruled Wednesday that Murdaugh cannot recover $600,000 from Hill for legal fees because the costs of defending the murder case were not caused by Hill’s jury-related misconduct. Gergel wrote that Murdaugh liquidated a retirement account to fund his defense and would have faced that expense regardless, and Murdaugh’s attorneys said they plan to appeal.
Murdaugh sued Hill after the South Carolina Supreme Court earlier this year overturned his 2023 murder convictions and life sentences, finding that Hill improperly influenced jurors during deliberations. Prosecutors still plan to retry him in the killings of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh.
The civil ruling does not change Murdaugh’s custody status. He remains in prison on separate federal and state financial-crimes sentences, and his murder retrial is scheduled for April.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Judge Throws Out Alex Murdaugh’s $600K Lawsuit Against Former Clerk Becky Hill
A federal judge has dismissed Alex Murdaugh’s bid to make former clerk Becky Hill cover $600,000 in legal costs tied to his upcoming double-murder retrial.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: August 6, 2026 4:49 pm ET
Alex Murdaugh, left, and his wife Maggie Murdaugh, middle, and younger son, Paul Murdaugh.
CHARLESTON, SC — Alex Murdaugh’s effort to force former Colleton County Clerk Becky Hill to pay for part of his defense in the case accusing him of killing his wife and son has been thrown out, cutting off a new civil front in one of South Carolina’s most watched murder cases.
According to WFLA, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel ruled Wednesday that Murdaugh cannot recover $600,000 from Hill for legal fees because the costs of defending the murder case were not caused by Hill’s jury-related misconduct. Gergel wrote that Murdaugh liquidated a retirement account to fund his defense and would have faced that expense regardless, and Murdaugh’s attorneys said they plan to appeal.
Murdaugh sued Hill after the South Carolina Supreme Court earlier this year overturned his 2023 murder convictions and life sentences, finding that Hill improperly influenced jurors during deliberations. Prosecutors still plan to retry him in the killings of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh.
The civil ruling does not change Murdaugh’s custody status. He remains in prison on separate federal and state financial-crimes sentences, and his murder retrial is scheduled for April.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Judge Throws Out Alex Murdaugh’s $600K Lawsuit Against Former Clerk Becky Hill
A federal judge has dismissed Alex Murdaugh’s bid to make former clerk Becky Hill cover $600,000 in legal costs tied to his upcoming double-murder retrial.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: August 6, 2026 4:49 pm ET
Alex Murdaugh, left, and his wife Maggie Murdaugh, middle, and younger son, Paul Murdaugh.
CHARLESTON, SC — Alex Murdaugh’s effort to force former Colleton County Clerk Becky Hill to pay for part of his defense in the case accusing him of killing his wife and son has been thrown out, cutting off a new civil front in one of South Carolina’s most watched murder cases.
According to WFLA, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel ruled Wednesday that Murdaugh cannot recover $600,000 from Hill for legal fees because the costs of defending the murder case were not caused by Hill’s jury-related misconduct. Gergel wrote that Murdaugh liquidated a retirement account to fund his defense and would have faced that expense regardless, and Murdaugh’s attorneys said they plan to appeal.
Murdaugh sued Hill after the South Carolina Supreme Court earlier this year overturned his 2023 murder convictions and life sentences, finding that Hill improperly influenced jurors during deliberations. Prosecutors still plan to retry him in the killings of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh.
The civil ruling does not change Murdaugh’s custody status. He remains in prison on separate federal and state financial-crimes sentences, and his murder retrial is scheduled for April.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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