The South Carolina Supreme Court overturns Alex Murdaugh’s 2023 murder convictions and life sentence for the deaths of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and his younger son, Paul Murdaugh. Multiple outlets report that the court’s decision is based on concerns about the fairness of the trial, specifically improper remarks made to the jury by an elected court clerk during the proceedings.

The decision cited conduct by county clerk Becky Hill, who later wrote a book about her time working on the trial. Broadly described by the outlets as “improper” comments, the remarks are characterized as suggesting or indicating guilt in a way that affected the jury. As a result, the state high court orders a new trial.

Several reports also note that the Supreme Court’s ruling overturns both the double-murder conviction and the life sentence, sending the case back for retrial rather than reinstating the verdict. Reporting across outlets focuses on what the court found procedurally wrong and what happens next following the order for a new trial.