Becky Hill, the former Colleton County Clerk of Court, faces multiple charges, including obstruction of justice and perjury. She was released on bonds totaling $80,000 after being charged by SLED. Hill was involved in the controversial Alex Murdaugh trial, where her conduct raised concerns about jury tampering. She resigned in March 2024, claiming her decision was in the best interest of the public. Additionally, she was accused of ethics violations related to her book about the trial. A pending ethics hearing was postponed due to ongoing criminal investigations by the Attorney General’s Office.
WALTERBORO, S.C. (WCSC) – Judges in Colleton and Richland Counties have set the bonds for the former Colleton County Clerk of Court, who is facing four charges as of Wednesday morning.
According to court documents, SLED has charged Becky Hill, 57, with one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of misconduct in office in Colleton County, along with one count of perjury in Richland County.
She was released after paying a $30,000 bond in Colleton County and a $50,000 bond for the perjury charge in Richland County.
Hill served as the clerk of court during the Alex Murdaugh trial, where the former attorney was tried for the murders of his wife and son at their Colleton County home. Murdaugh was convicted on both charges, and his defense team accused Hill of jury tampering.
Murdaugh’s attorneys, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, issued a joint statement regarding the charges:
We are aware of the charges filed against Becky Hill. While these developments are serious, they do not come as a surprise. We have consistently expressed our concerns regarding her conduct during and after the trial, and this arrest further highlights the necessity of protecting the integrity of the judicial process. Every defendant deserves a fair and impartial trial, and we are eager for Alex Murdaugh to receive that fair treatment.
Former South Carolina Chief Justice Jean Toal moderated a hearing in January 2024 to assess whether Murdaugh would be granted a new trial amid the jury tampering accusations.
Hill addressed the allegations, denying that she ever discussed the case or Murdaugh with any jurors.
Toal questioned her credibility after Hill indicated she employed “literary license” regarding certain aspects of her book about the trial, including her feelings while reading the verdict and concerns that the jury might acquit Murdaugh.
“I did have a certain way I felt,” Hill responded.
Hill is accused of providing false testimony during the January 2024 hearing and of granting sealed court exhibits to an unnamed media outlet during Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial in 2023, according to the arrest warrants.
Additionally, she allegedly used her role as the elected Clerk of Colleton County to promote a book she authored about the Alex Murdaugh trial and profited from it.
The former attorney was convicted of murdering his wife and son at their Colleton County residence. Murdaugh faced two murder charges, and his defense alleged that Hill tampered with the jury.
Hill resigned from her position in March 2024, announcing at a press conference outside the Colleton County Courthouse that she would not seek reelection. Shortly thereafter, she declared her resignation effective immediately.
Hill’s attorney, Justin Bamberg, emphasized that Hill made her decision in the best interest of the people of Colleton County.
“Today’s decision is not a response in any way to the ongoing investigations or similar matters,” Bamberg clarified. “We won’t delve into the investigation since it’s still active, but the primary focus today is what serves the public’s best interest.”
Bamberg highlighted that if Hill remained in office, it would risk “detracting from or obstructing the public’s ability to gather information from candidates about their platforms.
In May 2024, Hill was also accused of 76 ethics violations, as reported by the South Carolina Ethics Commission. An ethics hearing was scheduled for December 19.
However, on October 31, the commission’s chairman agreed to postpone this hearing at the request of Hill’s attorney due to a “pending criminal investigation by the Attorney General’s Office.”
There has been no announcement regarding a new date for the hearing.
This is an evolving story. Please check back for updates.
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