"Alex Murdaugh Faces Uphill Battle in Quest for New Murder Trial"

A state judge has made it harder for Alex Murdaugh to obtain a new murder trial by limiting witness questioning and setting a high burden of proof regarding accusations that the court clerk tampered with the jury during last year's proceedings. The judge will not inquire about other allegations against the clerk, and the evidentiary hearings will focus on the court clerk's interactions with jurors and the jury's ability to impartially reach a verdict. Murdaugh is serving life imprisonment without parole after being found guilty of killing his wife and son, and faces additional years for stealing millions of dollars.