Murdaugh defense pushing for retrial to be in Richland County
The above video is a recap of the Aug. 14 pretrial hearing in Lexington County. A new video will be added to this story as soon as possible.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The defense for ex-Lowcountry attorney and accused killer Alex Murdaugh now want his retrial to take place in the Midlands.
In a letter written Monday to Judge Debra McCaslin, attorney Dick Harpootlian said Murdaugh’s defense “would first recommend Richland County” as a venue for the second trial, tentatively scheduled to begin in April 2027.
Murdaugh RichCo request by WIS News 10
The move comes days after both the defense and state filed motions regarding alternative venues. Murdaugh’s defense initially wanted a retrial to take place in Charleston, saying it would be more likely that an impartial jury would be gathered there.
The state, however, argued that Charleston would present too many logistical and financial hurdles - especially if the trial were to take place during the annual Masters golf tournament.
Further in his letter to McCaslin, Harpootlian wrote that a potential Richland County jury would be comparable to Charleston. He also argued that the state nor the defense would need to book accommodations for attorneys, staff or witnesses from the South Carolina Law Enformcent Division.
“It is appropriate that the Court act to protect the people of Colleton County from costs created by their own elected official’s unexpected criminal conduct,” Harpootlian’s letter later read, referring to former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill’s actions during the 2023 murder trial. “But it would be inappropriate to do so by imposing excessive and avoidable costs on the victim of her conduct.”
McCaslin did not name a location for the retrial during a hearing on Aug. 14, but did say it will not take place in Colleton County.
How we got here
Murdaugh was previously convicted of murder in the 2021 deaths of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.
Nearly three years after his high-profile trial, however, the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned the conviction and ruled that the case be tried a second time.
During a hearing in June, McCaslin set a tentative April 2027 date for Murdaugh’s retrial.
Regardless of the outcome of a second murder trial, Murdaugh is still serving a 40-year federal prison sentence for various financial crimes, of which he pleaded guilty to in 2024.
When is the next pretrial hearing?
The next scheduled pretrial hearing is set for Nov. 13 in Lexington County.
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