The unusual hearing Monday comes in response to allegations by Murdaugh's attorneys that a clerk of court tampered with the jury that convicted him of murder last year.
Jury tampering is the basis for Murdaugh's appeal, but Judge Jean Toal’s rulings after a pretrial hearing this month have set a difficult standard for his lawyers to prove.
Toal ruled the defense must prove that potential misconduct including alleged comments by Hill warning jurors not to trust Murdaugh when he testifies directly led jurors to change their minds to guilty.
The hearing will be televised, but their faces cannot be shown and they will only be identified by their juror numbers.
They said this enabled prosecutors to smear Murdaugh with evidence not directly linked to the killings.
Persons:
— Alex Murdaugh, who'll, Becky Hill, Murdaugh, lording, Jean Toal’s, Toal, Hill, Murdaugh’s, Clifton Newman, He's, Paul, Maggie, Murdaugh hasn't
Organizations:
COLUMBIA, BBC
Locations:
South Carolina, Colleton County, Colleton, Richland