A juror who helped convict Alex Murdaugh for the murders of his wife and son says she was stunned after the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his guilty verdicts and ordered a new trial.

Speaking after the ruling, juror Ami Williams insisted she was never influenced by former court clerk Rebecca Hill, whose conduct became central to Murdaugh’s appeal.

The court ruled that Hill’s actions during the 2023 trial undermined Alex Murdaugh’s right to a fair and impartial jury.

Alex Murdaugh Juror Says She Never Felt Influenced By Clerk As Supreme Court Overturns Murder Convictions

Speaking to NBC News on Wednesday, juror Ami Williams said she never believed former Colleton County court clerk Rebecca Hill attempted to influence her decision during the high-profile 2023 trial of Murdaugh.

Williams rejected claims that Hill pushed jurors toward a guilty verdict, saying she never sensed any agenda or pressure from the court official throughout the six-week proceedings.

Calling the court’s ruling “crazy,” Williams also praised Hill’s conduct during the trial, describing her as “so gracious, super helpful,” kind, and accommodating to the jury.

Alex, 57, had originally been sentenced to two life terms without parole after being found guilty of killing his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and son, Paul Murdaugh, in 2021.

Although the murder convictions were overturned, Alex is not expected to leave prison anytime soon. He is still serving lengthy federal and state sentences tied to financial crimes involving theft from clients.

Alex Murdaugh Was Placed At Murder Scene By Son’s Phone Video, Prosecutors Claimed During Trial

During the investigation, Alex initially told authorities he had not seen his wife and son for about an hour before they were killed.

However, investigators later accessed Paul’s locked phone and uncovered a critical video recorded just minutes before his death.

The footage reportedly captured a dog barking along with the voice of Alex in the background, placing him at the scene shortly before the murders.

Prosecutors also argued that Alex’s opioid addiction and collapsing financial schemes were central to the motive, alleging he killed his wife and son in an attempt to divert attention from mounting legal and financial pressure.

They claimed the crimes were part of a desperate effort to delay exposure of his fraud and protect himself from consequences as his wrongdoing unraveled.

Alex Murdaugh To Remain In Prison Despite Overturned Murder Convictions As Prosecutors Push For Retrial

Following the ruling, state Attorney General Alan Wilson vowed prosecutors would move quickly to retry the case, stressing that Alex would remain incarcerated regardless of the overturned convictions.

“He will remain in prison for his financial crimes,” he emphasized. “No one is above the law and, as always, we will continue to fight for justice.”

Alex’s defense team had argued the original murder trial was compromised because clerk Hill improperly interacted with jurors and influenced the proceedings.

In its ruling, the South Carolina Supreme Court concluded Hill’s actions undermined the fairness of the trial, stating she effectively “placed her fingers on the scales of justice,” and denied Alex the right to an impartial jury.

Hill later pleaded guilty to several charges, including obstruction of justice, perjury, and misconduct in office.

Prosecutors said she improperly shared sealed crime scene photos with a reporter and falsely denied doing so. She also admitted to using her public position to promote a book centered on the nationally watched trial. She ultimately received a probation sentence.

Alex Murdaugh Reportedly ‘Glad’ Murder Conviction Was Overturned

In a separate response to the ruling, Alex’s defense attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian appeared on “Today” to describe their client’s emotional reaction after learning the ruling.

Griffin said Murdaugh was overwhelmed and initially struggled to believe the decision, later expressing gratitude and relief at the development.

According to People Magazine, he added that Alex was “glad to get that moniker off of him as a convicted murderer of his wife and son” following the overturned verdict.

The attorneys maintained that Alex has no intention of accepting any plea deal, with Griffin insisting he would “never” plead guilty.

Alex Murdaugh’s Lawyers Hope For A Different Outcome In The New Trial

The alleged killer’s lawyers argued that a retrial could lead to a different outcome, claiming that witness testimony could be more effectively challenged and that inconsistencies from the original trial could be exposed.

One of his attorneys, Harpootlian, further argued that the prosecution’s case relied heavily on evidence connected to Murdaugh’s financial crimes rather than direct proof of murder.

He pointed out the absence of forensic evidence, eyewitness testimony, confession, fingerprints, or video footage linking him directly to the killings, aside from disputed claims about his whereabouts that night.

Harpootlian concluded that “other than that, the motive is paper-thin,” and suggested a “retrial with a fair jury gives him a chance for acquittal.”