A new judge has been assigned to the double murder case against Alex Murdaugh. The South Carolina Supreme Court has assigned Judge Debra R. McCaslin to oversee all proceedings tied to the case, giving her exclusive jurisdiction over the matter as the state moves toward a possible retrial.

Background on Judge McCaslin

McCaslin, though born in Tampa, Florida, is described by the South Carolina Judicial Branch website as a lifelong resident of Chapin. After graduating from Chapin High School, she worked for U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond before attending the College of Charleston, where she earned a political science degree in 1990. She received her law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1993 and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar that same year.

McCaslin is married to Michael W. McCaslin, a retired engineer with the South Carolina Department of Transportation. They have two children, and the family attends St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Chapin.

Case Details

Murdaugh was convicted on March 2, 2023, of two counts of murder and two counts of possessing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He was sentenced to life in prison the following day. The case heads back to circuit court after the South Carolina Supreme Court reversed the denial of Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial.

Original reporting: WPBF (Treasure Coast / Hearst) — read the source article.