Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Bonus: Bombshell Murdaugh Murders Update! New Trial for Alex Murdaugh? | Crime Alert Hourly Update

Episode Date: August 14, 2024

BREAKING NEWS from the new Crime Alert Hourly Update podcast. Will disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh could get a new trial? The CrimeOnline team delivers hourly updates on breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Crime Alert Hourly Update, a brand new five-minute podcast from Nancy Grace and Crime Online. I'm Jackie Howard, executive producer for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Each hour, on the hour, our reporters and experts bring you the latest in true crime. In just five minutes, we provide real-time updates on high-profile cases, missing person alerts, trial developments, and all the gripping true crime stories you need to know. Here's the latest episode. Be sure to follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app. Crime Alert, I'm Drew Nelson, breaking crime news now. New developments in the Alex Murdaugh murders. The South Carolina Supreme Court has agreed to

review whether a judge was wrong to deny a new trial, with the defense arguing that the trial was tainted by jury tampering. You may remember Murdaugh as the disgraced attorney convicted of murdering his wife and son using a different gun on each shortly before this body cam footage. That's your son, Paul? Somebody going to check him? Yes, sir. They've already checked him. They did check him? Yes, sir. They've already checked him. They did check him?

Yes, sir. It's official that they're dead? Yes, sir. That's what it looks like. The defense argues the jury tampering was orchestrated by former Collinson County clerk Rebecca Hill, whom they claim influenced the jury for personal gain. In the original trial, Murdaugh was found guilty of the two murders at their Colleton County home. The defense says Hill was motivated by the potential profits from her self-published book when she told jurors not to be swayed by the defendant's emotional testimony. A lawyer for Murdaugh says, quote, the trial court abused its discretion when finding that

the jury's verdict was not affected by Ms. Hill's tampering. Hill's credibility was called into question after she admitted plagiarizing parts of her book. The book has been removed from publication. She ended up resigning as county clerk after the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division launched an investigation, but a judge denied the request for a new trial, saying the defense had not provided sufficient evidence that Hill's comments influenced the jury's decision. Defense attorneys cite the significant public interest and legal importance of the case

in pushing for the South Carolina Supreme Court to consider whether a state official's secret advocacy for a guilty verdict automatically warrants a new trial. The defense argues it could set precedent. Quote, this case is about more than just one trial. It's about preserving the integrity of the justice system. Murdaugh's case has gained widespread attention, partly due to a prior scandal involving his son. Before the murders, the son was involved in a fatal boat accident that resulted in the death of a young woman,

further complicating the family's legal troubles and leading to lawsuits. Alex Murdaugh, meanwhile, is serving two life sentences for the killings. For the latest crime and justice news, follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app. With this Crime Alert, I'm Drew Nelson. Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with Crime Alert hourly update. Follow the podcast now on your favorite podcast app.