Photo: Tribune News Service
A judge has ordered that the retrial of Alex Murdaugh be moved out of South Carolina's 14th Judicial Circuit to ensure a fair trial. During a pre-trial hearing on Friday (August 14), Judge Debra McCaslin cited concerns about finding an impartial jury due to the actions of former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill and the widespread publicity surrounding the case. The retrial is tentatively scheduled for April 2027.
Judge McCaslin has not yet decided on the new location for the trial. Murdaugh's defense team has requested that the trial be moved to Charleston County, but the state opposes this, citing logistical challenges. The judge will issue a formal order determining the trial's location.
Murdaugh, a former lawyer, was convicted in 2023 of murdering his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, but the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned the conviction in May 2026 due to jury interference by Hill. The court found that Hill's actions denied Murdaugh his right to a fair trial.
During the hearing, McCaslin ruled that Murdaugh's testimony from his first trial is admissible in the retrial under certain conditions. The defense argued that the testimony focused too much on financial crimes unrelated to the murder case. McCaslin also allowed additional DNA testing by Murdaugh's defense team on evidence found under Maggie's fingernails.
The defense has filed a motion to dismiss the murder indictments, claiming that a former South Carolina Law Enforcement Division agent gave false testimony to the grand jury. This motion will be addressed in a future hearing.
The case has attracted significant media attention, with more than 20 books written about it and numerous documentaries produced. The defense argues that this publicity has saturated the 14th Judicial Circuit, making it difficult to find an impartial jury.
The retrial is set to begin in April 2027, and the court will continue to address various pre-trial motions and logistical issues in the coming months.