A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Alex Murdaugh, seeking to have a former court clerk pay his legal fees.
Murdaugh sued Becky Hill, whose misconduct during his trial caused his murder conviction to be overturned, to pay his $600,000 in legal fees.
He claimed she violated his right to a fair trial when he was convicted of killing his wife and son.
A state Supreme Court overturned the convictions and the life sentences, saying Hill’s comments to jurors suggested that he was guilty and that his testimony could not be trusted, and that the “improper” statements influenced the decision, CNN reported.
As for the lawsuit against Hill, the judge determined that Murdaugh would have had to pay the fees regardless of Hill’s conduct, ABC News reported.
“Defendant had no role in the initiation of criminal charges against Plaintiff,” U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel wrote. “Plaintiff liquidated his retirement account to fund his defense, which was necessary without regard to the misconduct of Defendant.”
The case was dismissed without prejudice, so Murdaugh could refile.
His lawyers filed a notice of appeal, ABC News reported.
He will also be on retrial next year in the case of his wife and son’s deaths, the AP reported.
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