Colleton County Clerk of Courtroom Rebecca “Becky” Hill had nothing to say when she was noticed on Thursday for the primary time since being accused of tampering with the jury in Alex Murdaugh’s homicide trial.
Ms Hill clutched her mobile phone, a drink and a stack of papers in a single hand as she crossed the road in Walterboro, South Carolina, round 10am and walked into the courthouse via a again gate.
In a video posted by Fox Information, a photographer may very well be heard asking her, “Did you tamper with the jurors?”
The court docket clerk glanced over on the photographer, however ignored the remark and saved strolling.
“Something?” the photographer requested as she accessed the gate and walked inside. “Did you tamper with the jurors, Rebecca?”
Earlier this week, Ms Hill was slammed with allegations in a bombshell movement filed by Murdaugh’s defence attorneys accusing her of unlawfully tampering with the jury as a result of she was pushed by fame and a want to safe a ebook deal.
The court docket clerk, who was elected to her place in 2020 and beforehand labored as a court docket reporter, has employed two high-profile attorneys.
State Rep Justin Bamberg (D-Bamberg) confirmed to The State newspaper that each he and one other lawyer, former assistant US lawyer Will Lewis, are representing Colleton County Clerk of Courtroom Rebecca “Becky” Hill.
Ms Hill retained her authorized workforce only a day after the accusations in opposition to her have been revealed in movement filed by Murdaugh’s attorneys requesting a brand new trial for the previous authorized scion who was convicted in March of killing his spouse Maggie and son Paul.
Mr Bamberg isn’t any stranger to the Murdaugh saga and has beforehand represented quite a few the victims of Murdaugh’s alleged monetary crimes.
One of many victims was Hakeem Pinckney, who died on a ventilator after Murdaugh allegedly stole the settlement from the automotive crash that paralysed the deaf 19-year-old.
An everyday commenter on Murdaugh case, Mr Bamberg additionally appeared on Low Nation, the HBO documentary concerning the household. And he isn’t the one lawyer with ties to the case who has emerged.
Columbia lawyer Joe McCullough is representing two jurors named within the movement filed this this week. Mr McCullough additionally represents Connor Cook dinner, one of many survivors of the 2019 boat crash that killed Mallory Seashore whereas Paul Murdaugh was driving.
Mr Lewis, the second lawyer representing Ms Hill, was a federal prosecutor and is now in non-public observe. In 2019, he despatched former fifth Circuit Solicitor Dan Johnson to jail for wire fraud in reference to Johnson’s thefts from the federal government.
Earlier this week, Murdaugh’s attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian filed the movement with allegations in opposition to Ms Hill and have known as for a federal investigation into whether or not the court docket clerk violated Murdaugh’s civil rights.
The movement alleges Ms Hill tampered with the jury as a result of she was pushed by fame and a want to safe a ebook deal.
Her tell-all ebook from the trial Behind the Doorways of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders was launched on 1 August.
Ms Hill is accused of getting one-on-one chats with the jury foreperson, typically behind closed doorways in a rest room.
She allegedly advised jurors who smoked they couldn’t take a cigarette break till a verdict was reached. She additionally gave jurors the enterprise playing cards of reporters in the course of the trial.
“She requested jurors about their opinions about Mr. Murdaugh’s guilt or innocence. She instructed them to not imagine proof offered in Mr. Murdaugh’s protection, together with his personal testimony. She lied to the choose to take away a juror she believed won’t vote responsible. And he or she pressured jurors to succeed in a responsible verdict shortly so she may revenue from it,” Murdaugh’s attorneys wrote.
Ms Hill additionally allegedly advised the jury “to not be fooled” by the proof offered by the protection, to look at Murdaugh intently as he testified and to “have a look at his actions,” and “have a look at his actions.” One juror stated in a sworn assertion that they understood that to imply Murdaugh was responsible.
The clerk additionally accompanied three jurors to New York Metropolis the place they gave TV interviews after the trial.
“Clerks are supposed to assist get folks within the courtroom, set up reveals, get lunch or reply easy jury questions like discovering the lavatory,” lawyer John Fishwick Jr., a former U.S. Lawyer, advised the Related Press.
“You might be by no means supposed to speak to a jury concerning the case.”
If the allegations are confirmed to be true, lawyer Duncan Levin advised The Unbiased that Murdaugh ought to then “unquestionably” be granted his request for a brand new trial.
Now that Murdaugh’s defence attorneys have filed the movement, an evidentiary listening to is more likely to happen the place the proof for the accusations in opposition to Ms Hill will probably be laid out.
At the moment, Ms Hill doesn’t face any felony expenses.