Alex Murdaugh doesn’t want the judge from his murder trial deciding if he gets a new day in court

By JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Attorneys for convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh are asking South Carolina’s highest court to prevent the judge who presided over his murder trial from hearing his request for a new trial. Murdaugh’s lawyers also want to remove Judge Clifton Newman from an upcoming case involving the disbarred lawyer’s financial crimes. Wednesday’s request is part of Murdaugh’s appeal of his guilty verdicts and life sentence at his trial last spring. His lawyers say elected Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill allegedly tampered with the jury by asking them their opinions on Murdaugh’s guilt or innocence before the trial was over and suggesting to them she thought he was guilty.