"Judge Denies Alex Murdaugh's Bid for New Double-Murder Trial Amid Jury Tampering Allegations"

A South Carolina judge denied Alex Murdaugh's request for a new trial after his defense team accused a court clerk of tampering with the jury. The judge ruled that the defense failed to prove that the clerk's comments directly influenced the guilty verdict. During the hearing, jurors testified about the clerk's comments, with some stating that it influenced their decision, while others said it did not. The judge also limited the scope of questioning for the clerk and emphasized that the hearing would not become a trial of the court clerk. Murdaugh, who was convicted of the shooting deaths of his wife and son, is serving a life sentence and is also serving time for embezzlement.