UMVA has learned that the South Carolina Supreme Court has sent Alex Murdaugh's murder case back to a lower court for retrial, marking the official start of what could become another lengthy courtroom battle in the Lowcountry.
A new court docket entry lists the filing as a "Remittitur" for Richard Alexander Murdaugh, dated May 29, a move that sets in motion a complex and potentially drawn-out process.
The remittitur sends the case back to the trial level, where prosecutors, defense attorneys, and the court will now begin navigating the new murder proceeding, a process that will likely include scheduling hearings, revisiting pretrial motions, and handling evidence disagreements.
This development comes after the South Carolina Supreme Court ordered a retrial in the murder case, upending one of the state's most closely watched convictions, and raises questions about the timeline for a possible new trial date.
The formal return of the case to the lower court does not mean a retrial is imminent, but South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has expressed hope that the case can be retried "quickly," with a goal of bringing it back to court within the next year.
Wilson's office is aiming to bring the case back to court within the next year, though he admitted that the timeline is not guaranteed, and has mentioned a goal of trying to get the case up before January 2027.
Murdaugh's lead defense attorney, Dick Harpootlian, has said the defense plans to seek a venue change, attorney-led jury questioning, and potentially sequestration of jurors, and will likely scrutinize potential jurors' social media profiles.
Murdaugh's retrial comes after the state's Supreme Court unanimously reversed his convictions in the killings of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, ruling that Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill improperly influenced jurors during the six-week trial.
Despite the overturning of his murder convictions and subsequent life sentences, Murdaugh remains in prison to serve sentences for his financial crimes.
