Prosecutors may pursue death penalty in Alex Murdaugh retrial, South Carolina AG says - BERITAJA

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said Friday that his agency whitethorn prosecute the decease punishment erstwhile it retries Alex Murdaugh successful the 2021 execution of his boy and wife.

“In ray of the Supreme Court’s decision, we’re backmost to quadrate 1 connected this case, and that intends each our ineligible options are connected the table, including the decease penalty,” Wilson said.

The state’s precocious tribunal reversed Murdaugh’s double execution condemnation successful an sentiment published Wednesday that accused a erstwhile tribunal clerk of “egregious” assemblage interference.

The unanimous determination cited comments that erstwhile Colleton County Clerk of Courts Becky Hill allegedly made to jurors during Murdaugh’s 2023 trial, including a proposal that the sheet shouldn’t beryllium “fooled” by grounds presented by the defendant’s attorneys.

Beritaja has been incapable to scope Hill for comment. She antecedently pleaded blameworthy to perjury, misconduct and obstruction charges connected to the Murdaugh lawsuit but denied trying to power jurors, according to the opinion.

The determination said Hill acknowledged giving the sheet “a small talk” about Murdaugh’s determination to testify.

Wilson has said he disagrees pinch the court’s determination and described Hill’s alleged behaviour arsenic inappropriate but “ultimately harmless. He told reporters that prosecutors scheme to quickly retry the case.

Former Colleton County Clerk of Court Mary Rebecca "Becky" Hill successful St. Matthews, S.C. past year.Jeffrey Collins / AP

Murdaugh’s attorneys person said they respect the precocious court’s determination and “look guardant to a caller proceedings conducted accordant pinch the Constitution and the guidance this Court has provided.”

In an interview pinch Beritaja, the lawyers said Murdaugh will not judge a plea statement nether immoderate circumstances.

He will “never plead blameworthy of sidesplitting his woman and son,” lawyer Jim Griffin said. “I promise.”

Murdaugh, 57, has ever maintained his innocence successful the sidesplitting of his wife, Margaret, and his son, Paul. During Murdaugh’s trial, prosecutors accused him of sidesplitting his family members to distract from financial crimes that threatened his estimation arsenic a well-known lawyer successful South Carolina.

He pleaded blameworthy to dozens of authorities and national financial crimes and is serving concurrent situation sentences of 27 and 40 years.