Jurors speak out on Alex Murdaugh verdict: There was ‘no pressure’
Fox News’ Martha MacCallum speaks with jurors at the center of the Alex Murdaugh trial in a new episode of ‘The Fall of the House of Murdaugh,’ available only on Fox Nation.
South Carolina's "Trial of the Century" saw a new twist unfold after the jury found disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh guilty in the June 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.
Murdaugh's defense claimed Colleton County Court Clerk Becky Hill tampered with the jury and demanded a new trial. He was back in court Monday for a hearing on the allegations.
Justice Jean Toal denied Alex Murdaugh's request for a new murder trial last week.
Since Murdaugh's defense made the claims, the jurors - as well as Hill - have been heavily scrutinized. In their first interview since the bid failed, two jurors revealed details about how they came to a verdict.
ALEX MURDAUGH ‘A SHELL OF A MAN’ FOR FINANCIAL BETRAYAL, GLORIA SATTERFIELD SISTER TELLS INTERVIEWER
One said during the jury's deliberation, there was "no pressure whatsoever."
"Judge Newman stated that we had until 10:00 to make a verdict. That was a time that we were given. But if we didn't, it was fine. She found a hotel. We would have to be sequestered, which made sense. We were in deliberations. We didn't know we would be deliberating that day, but it made sense," she told Fox News' Matha MacCallum in Fox Nation's "The Fall of the House of Murdaugh.
Alex Murdaugh is led out of the Colleton County courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina on Monday, February 27, 2023. Today was the 25th day of testimony in Murdaugh’s trial for the double slaying of his son, Paul, and wife, Maggie, in June 2021. Mark Sims for Fox News Digital. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital)
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As part of the process, the jurors were questioned about Hill's conduct and whether her actions had any sway in their decision-making.
One juror, referred to as Juror Z, said Hill told them to watch Murdaugh's actions "closely," adding that she reached a guilty verdict because of the clerk's comments.
Alex Murdaugh takes the stand at double murder trial. (POOL)
Ultimately, of 12 total jurors who found Murdaugh guilty last spring, 11 said Hill did not influence their decisions. One said he heard the clerk make comments about watching Murdaugh's body language, but said her words did not influence his verdict.
"[Hill] even told us when we were in there alone and the door was locked, she told us, we don't have to do this tonight. If you're too tired, you don't have to do this tonight. We don't have to do it," another juror shared with MacCallum.
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"Even after we came to our verdict, she said, if you don't feel comfortable with your decision, we don't have to go out there. We can stay here, or we can come back in the morning until you are comfortable."
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The latest installment of Fox Nation's gripping deep-dive into the case that shocked the nation is now streaming and features other noteworthy insight. Attorney Eric Bland, who represents multiple victims of Murdaugh's financial crimes, also appeared in the new episode.
In a case full of surprises, the jurors in the Alex Murdaugh trial have their chance to speak and set the record straight about the verdict on Fox Nation's "The Fall of the House of Murdaugh."
FOX Nation programs are viewable on-demand and from your mobile device app, but only for FOX Nation subscribers. Go to FOX Nation to start a free trial and watch the extensive library from your favorite Fox News personalities.
Fox News' Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.