Democracy Dies in DarknessThe South Carolina Supreme Court ordered a new trial, saying the 2023 trial was improperly influenced by a county clerk’s comments to jurors.May 13, 2026Alex Murdaugh arrives in court in Beaufort, South Carolina, on Sept. 14, 2023. (James Pollard/AP)The South Carolina Supreme Court has overturned the murder convictions of Alex Murdaugh and ordered a new trial for the disbarred lawyer in the killing of his wife and son, citing “improper external influences on the jury.”