FEDERAL JUDGE WON’T MAKE DISGRACED CLERK PAY ALEX MURDAUGH’S $600,000 IN LEGAL FEES FOR 1ST TRIAL

On June 29, 2026, a federal judge in Lexington, South Carolina, ruled that Alex Murdaugh could not recover $600,000 in legal fees from former court clerk Becky Hill, effectively dismissing his lawsuit. The decision follows Hill’s misconduct, which led the state Supreme Court to overturn Murdaugh’s murder convictions earlier this year.

Judge Richard Gergel explained that Hill never investigated or pursued the case against Murdaugh and that there was no causal link between the money Murdaugh spent on his defense and Hill’s alleged misconduct. Murdaugh’s suit claimed Hill violated his right to a fair trial in the deaths of his wife and son, yet a jury had found him guilty and the state Supreme Court reversed those convictions based on Hill’s comments to jurors that undermined Murdaugh’s own testimony.

The ruling underscores the limits of suing court staff for alleged trial misconduct when no direct causation can be established, and it highlights the broader fallout from Hill’s conduct that contributed to the reversal of Murdaugh’s convictions.

• Federal judge dismissed Murdaugh’s $600,000 lawsuit against former clerk Becky Hill.
• Judge ruled no causal link between Murdaugh’s defense costs and Hill’s misconduct.
• Hill’s comments to jurors led the state Supreme Court to overturn Murdaugh’s convictions.

Read the original source for full detail available at Associated Press src