Why Did Murdaugh’s Defense Team File a Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Becky Hill?

True Crime Today

20 May 2026

A federal civil rights lawsuit against a former clerk of court. That is where the Murdaugh case stands right now — and the implications go far beyond one defendant. Murdaugh’s attorneys filed a Section 1983 claim against Becky Hill, the former Colleton County Clerk whose conduct during the original trial led the South Carolina Supreme Court to order a new trial. The claim is straightforward: Hill deprived Murdaugh of his constitutional right to a fair trial by tampering with the jury. But the strategy behind the filing is anything but simple. This lawsuit is built for discovery. The defense team wants subpoenas and depositions — the tools that only civil litigation provides — to investigate what Hill actually did and whether she had assistance. Griffin posed the question directly: did she act alone? The state never tried to find out. The defense intends to. The complaint zeroes in on the removal of juror Myra Crosby during deliberations. The circumstances around her dismissal have never been adequately explained, and the defense treats it as exhibit A in a pattern of interference that tainted the entire proceeding. The damages sought exceed six hundred thousand dollars, representing the cost of the first trial. Murdaugh’s lawyers made a point of clarifying that none of that money touches their client. It goes to the receivership — a distinction they clearly felt was important to make publicly. Tony Brueski, criminal defense attorney and Defense Diaries host Bob Motta, and retired FBI Chief of the Behavioral Analysis Program Robin Dreeke examine the lawsuit, the discovery strategy, and what the defense believes the state deliberately left uninvestigated. Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePod This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice. #MurdaughTrial #BeckyHill #FederalLawsuit #JuryTampering #CivilRights #MurdaughRetrial #Section1983 #ColletonCounty #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers