COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman has asked to be removed from future cases involving Alex Murdaugh and his post-trial motions involving murder charges.
Murdaugh and his defense attorneys filed a petition earlier this month asking the South Carolina Supreme Court to prohibit Judge Newman from presiding over trials of indictments, including the request for a new double murder trial.
It all follows allegations Murdaugh made of jury tampering by Colleton County Clerk of Court of Rebecca Hill and requested a retrial. That petition for a new trial is pending in the Court of General Sessions in Colleton County.
According to an order filed Thursday, Judge Newman requested that a new judge be assigned to handle the post-trial motions involving the murder charges.
Murdaugh’s team also filed a motion to stay all trial court proceedings and requested a change of venue. He was expected to appear in a Beaufort County courtroom on November 27 on various financial and narcotics charges.
“The motion to stay is denied, and the trial scheduled to begin on November 27, 2023, shall go forward as planned,” the order reads. “The writ of prohibition is denied as to future trials of indictments against petitioner. As to petitioner’s pending motion for a new trial, the writ of prohibition is denied as moot, as Judge Newman has requested that a new judge be assigned to handle the post-trial motions involving the murder charges.”
Judge Newman has been the presiding judge over numerous cases involving the disbarred South Carolina attorney.
