South Carolina judge grants Alex Murdaugh change of venue for murder retrial

A judge agreed Friday to allow Alex Murdaugh's double murder retrial to change counties amid concerns that jurors could potentially be biased in the case amid a high level of publicity at the original venue.

South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Debra McCaslin ruled that the retrial could take place outside of Colleton County, stating that she does not believe Murdaugh "can get a fair and impartial trial” at the current location, according to NBC News.

The judge did not state which county the case will move to, but will issue a formal order on the location in the near future.

Murdaugh was accused of murdering his family in June 2021 and convicted in 2023. He remains incarcerated despite the overturning of his murder conviction due to his guilty pleas to financial crimes.

His case attracted national attention during the weeks-long trial, but the state Supreme Court ultimately overturned his convictions for the murder of his wife and son due to the county clerk making inappropriate comments to the jury that the court found insinuated he was guilty.

McCaslin also ruled Friday that the new jury will be allowed to hear Murdaugh's testimony in his initial trial.

“When you testify in a case, there are consequences,” McCaslin said at a status hearing. “I’m going to allow it in, subject to what is being testified to in the trial.”

The new trial is currently set for April 2027, but it is not clear whether it will be delayed over the change of venue.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.