Murdaugh Defense Seeks Richland County for 2027 Murder Retrial After 2023 Conviction Was Overturned
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 18
Murdaugh Defense Seeks Richland County for 2027 Murder Retrial After 2023 Conviction Was Overturned
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 18
Summary
Monday court filings asked Judge Debra McCaslin to place Alex Murdaugh’s double-murder retrial in Richland County after she ruled Friday that the case must leave Colleton County.
Richland would offer a larger jury pool and demographics the defense says are closer to Colleton, strengthening its argument that an impartial jury can be seated after the 2023 trial was tainted.
The defense also argued Richland would cut costs by avoiding hotel stays for lawyers, staff and state investigators, saying it lacks the prosecution’s “nearly limitless resources.”
Prosecutors have raised a practical obstacle: the April 5, 2027 trial date overlaps with the Masters Tournament, which could tighten hotel availability, though the defense says jury selection will dominate the first week.
The venue fight follows the South Carolina Supreme Court’s decision to grant Murdaugh a new trial because former clerk Becky Hill allegedly influenced jurors, undermining his right to a fair proceeding.