Rebecca Hill resigns as Colleton County clerk of court; attorney says decision was not based on investigations

WALTERBORO, S.C. (WCBD) – Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill has resigned from office, effective immediately, she announced Monday morning from outside the county’s courthouse.

Hill was elected to serve as Clerk of Court in 2020 but found herself at the center of controversy following the conviction of once-prominent South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh for the killing of his wife and youngest son.

Murdaugh and his defense team accused Hill of tampering with the jury and attempting to persuade the trial’s outcome. She was also exposed for plagiarizing parts of a book she wrote about the weeks-long trial titled, “Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders.”

“It has been my honor and pleasure to serve as your Colleton County Clerk of Court over the past four years,” Hill said during her announcement.

Hill reflected on the Murdaugh trial saying the small town of Walterboro came together and “made everyone proud.” But she said media interests and public scrutiny led to her decision not to seek re-election and resign.

“I will now be able to focus on being a wife, a mother, and grandmother to my two grandboys. And will be spending time with the people who mean the most to me,” she said. “With the upcoming election, I wanted to ensure that I provided ample time for other Republican candidates who may be interested in pursuing this position.”

Hill’s resignation letter was sent to Governor Henry McMaster’s office for approval. Meanwhile, her attorney, Justin Bamberg, said the announcement was not in response to any ongoing investigation or development in such investigations.

The State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) previously launched two investigations into Hill. One is connected to the alleged interactions with the jury, and another is regarding allegations she used her election position for personal gain.

Bamberg refused to answer questions about the investigations or whether they prompted Hill to step away. Instead, he said it was believed that Hill staying in the race would distract from other candidates and the people of Colleton County.

“The resignation is strictly about the people of Colleton,” he said. “Out of the options that were on the table, for example not just running again and staying in office through the election, that ran the risk of detracting the public’s ability to digest information from candidates about what they wanted to offer.”

Meanwhile, Niel Gordon, who co-authored Hill’s book, issued a statement following her announcement saying he was interviewed by SLED on Friday.

“They expressed a great deal of concern about Becky possibly using her office for personal gain,” said Gordon. “In their questioning of me, they were honing in on how many different times Becky did book signings, interviews, and speaking engagements during the workday. I sincerely hope her resignation lessens any potential action taken against her, and that it restores public trust in the office of clerk of court,” Gordon said.

Former Chief Justice Jean Toal held a hearing in late January where she questioned all 12 jurors and Hill to determine whether a retrial was warranted. Most jurors said comments they heard did not directly influence their decision to find Murdaugh guilty.

Hill denied allegations that she attempted to sway their decisions and answered questions from the defense team, state prosecutors, and Judge Toal regarding the trial and her book.

Judge Toal ultimately denied Alex Murdaugh’s request for a retrial, saying the jurors verified under oath that their decision was their own. The former chief justice believed Hill was “attracted by the siren call of celebrity.”

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