Alex Murdaugh, the disbarred South Carolina attorney accused of killing his wife and son, is due to appear in court for a status and scheduling conference. This will be his first court appearance since his murder convictions were overturned on appeal.
Background
Murdaugh was found guilty of the murders in 2023 after a six-week trial. However, his attorneys appealed the convictions, citing improper influence by the county clerk, Becky Hill. The state Supreme Court overturned the murder convictions and ordered a new trial.
Murdaugh’s attorneys have filed several pretrial motions, including requests for a change of venue and independent testing of DNA evidence. They argue that their client cannot receive a fair and impartial trial in the current venue due to the high level of media coverage and the Murdaugh family’s long history in the local legal system.
Current Status
Murdaugh remains behind bars on concurrent state and federal sentences of 27 and 40 years for separate financial crimes. He is expected to appear in court in shackles, despite his attorneys’ initial request that he be allowed to wear civilian clothes and appear unshackled.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
