SC Court of Appeals issues order in Alex Murdaugh's favor: Wednesday, Oct. 18

The South Carolina Court of Appeals has agreed to put Alex Murdaugh's appeal of his murder convictions on hold while his legal team makes claims that there was jury tampering in his high-profile trial.The court issued an order Tuesday that temporarily pauses the appeal made to their court. This procedural move allows Murdaugh to file a motion for a new trial in a lower court by arguing there was jury tampering during his six-week long trial earlier this year. The order says Murdaugh's legal team must give status updates on their efforts every 30 days. If they don't, it could result in his appeal being dismissed. Murdaugh was convicted in March of the June 2021 murders of his wife Maggie and youngest son Paul following a six-week-long trial that drew international attention. He is serving two consecutive life sentences for those crimes at an undisclosed prison in South Carolina. Murdaugh maintained his innocence through the trial and during the appeal process. But in September, his attorneys filed a 65-page motion outlining what they say was jury tampering during the trial by Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill. They alleged that Hill had private conversations with jurors about the case, asked jurors about their opinions about whether Murdaugh was guilty, instructed jurors not to believe the evidence, lied to the judge to remove a juror who Hill believed was going to vote guilty and pressured the jury to make a decision quickly. They claim several jurors have signed affidavits to back up their claims. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/special-reports/alex-murdaugh/alex-murduagh-south-carolina-court-appeals-order/101-105dc9fb-c8d6-41a0-b217-fb46bfa5565fWatch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!