Latest News | South Carolina Supreme Court overturns Alex Murdaugh murder convictions

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]In a developing story, the South Carolina Supreme Court has overturned Alex Murdo's murder convictions and ordered a new trial. Murdo, the prominent South Carolina attorney, was convicted in 2023 of killing his wife Maggie and their son Paul at their family estate in 2021. The state supreme court ruled that comments made by former court clerk Becky Hill improperly influenced jurors during the trial. The the defense says her statements like quote watch his body language implied Murdo's guilt. The attorneys say that prevented him from getting a fair trial with an impartial jury. Prosecutors acknowledge Hill spoke to some jurors but said the comments were minor. Murdo was convicted in March 2023.

[00:00:44]Well, new at noon, the Huntsville Police Department is investigating after a 15-year-old was shot inside a home Tuesday night. Police say officers from Huntsville Police, the Madson County Sheriff's Office and Arkansas State Police responded to a 911 call around 8:30. When they arrived, they found a 15-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was flown to a hospital in Little Rock. Investigators say one person has been arrested in connection with the shooting, and the investigation remains active.

[00:01:13]Well, a new Arkansas law has been used to charge a Springdale business owner.

[00:01:17]This comes after police say he tried to pay for sex with a child in a Bentonville hotel. Zachary Eastep has pleaded not guilty to capital rape. It's a new law that went into effect late last year. To be charged, the crime would have to be involved under children under 13 years old and other circumstances like using a gun as a threat to commit the sex crime or if it's a repeat offender. It's punishable by death or life without parole. But Benton County prosecutor Brian Ston says that means an additional burden of proof.

[00:01:49]>> Not every case will be subject to a uh to a capital punishment recommendation from the state uh because the state has to meet that additional burden beyond just meeting its burden of proof on the actual charge itself. We've got to prove something more in sentencing uh that sometimes we'll have and sometimes we won't.

[00:02:10]EastEP has been released from the Benton County Jail after posing a $500,000 bond. More details on what led up to his arrest can be found on our website 5newline.com.

[00:02:21]Well, happening now, a large benefit in Podo to raise money after the deadly shooting in Worcester last month. 5 News reporter Emily Moss is live there giving us a look at what's happening. Emily?

[00:02:35]>> Yeah, Lauren. I'm here at the Donald Reynolds Center in Poto where there are lots of people here today all to support Deputy Walker Lame and Wister Chief Andy Thompson after that deadly shooting.

[00:02:46]Now, before this event even started, they had dozens of sponsors that had already raised over $40,000 for this cause. Now, there are six local bank branches coming together, the sheriff's department, and more here today volunteering for this event. It's all put together to raise money for Chief Andy Thompson's recovery and Deputy Walker Lame's family after the shooting in Wister three weeks ago.

[00:03:10]Every order that's just $7 comes with a burger, chips, and soda. And we've heard a lot about Lame in the last few weeks, including that he was a picky eater.

[00:03:20]Organizers say they're not 100% certain he liked burgers, but it's hard to find someone who doesn't.

[00:03:27]>> He loves a burger. Yeah, we don't know if he liked them or not, but we're eating them for him.

[00:03:37]>> Now, we now we still have just about under an hour left of this event. So, if you're at home right now sitting in Lafllor County wondering what should I have for lunch, this is it. And I know what you all want. You want a live review of this lunch just to know, just to sell it to you. So, one sec.

[00:03:56]>> Thumbs up, guys. I think you should come out. All right, I'll go ahead and send it back to you.

[00:04:00]>> All right, Emily. Thank you. Today, Swarm Arrow will host a town hall at 6 to speak to community members at the Fateville Public Library. This ahead of a city council meeting next week where the appeal for a company's drone manufacturing plant near Drake Field will be held. The board of adjusters voted to appeal the company's business license after a resident claimed they were improperly classified, but now Swarm Arrow is trying to reverse that.

[00:04:26]The mayor says next week's meeting could go into a second day.

[00:04:30]>> Know that this will um has the potential to be a lively meeting with a lot of public comment. And so one of the things that I conferred with um our assistant city attorney about is that it is my intent to request at 10:30 a motion to adjourn and then resume immediately the next day and evening.

[00:04:53]During Tuesday's city council agenda session, the city development services director said it was the first time in recent memory this type of item will be voted on. The Bentonville city council has voted to appoint a new member temporarily. This comes after former member Richardson resigned from the ward one position. Some members wanted to wait until November so voters could choose a representative in the general election. Others said leaving the seat open for months could create financial challenges and holding a special election could cost the city about $15,000.

[00:05:26]After hearing from 10 candidates, council members voted to appoint Dan Grover to the seat temporarily.

[00:05:32]>> I'm looking forward to making sure that that Bentonville stays uh responsible fiscally. I think that's something that's uh that that I've observed that we've done a good job so far and I just want to make sure that continues.

[00:05:44]Grover says he has a master's degree in business administration as council members looked for someone with strong financial experience. He'll fill the seat until the November election where voters will decide who fills that seat long term. The Springdale School Board has approved attendance zones that will send Jones Elementary students to two separate schools.

[00:06:06]152 students will move to Bayari Elementary and 187 students will go to Nap Elementary. More are going to NAP because it's the biggest elementary school in the district and there's more room to grow. Students will stay in their designated feeder patterns according to the district. Jones Elementary is being turned into a regional center for student support after the district voted on it in March.

[00:06:33]Well, one in five adults experience mental illness each year. And during this mental health awareness month, we're taking a closer look at what exactly that means. 5 News reporter Claire Everbach has more on why doctors say mental health awareness is essential for everyone. Local professionals say that open conversation is one of the most powerful tools to reducing the nationwide stigma surrounding mental health. Experts say conditions like anxiety and depression remain the most common challenges they see, sometimes overlapping with substance abuse disorders. Providers say effective treatment means addressing the whole person while ensuring people know they don't have to face struggles alone. Sage Small with the Crawford County Mental Health Treatment Court says the main goal of mental health professionals is to help reduce stigma.

[00:07:19]>> We're not made to do things alone. We're not made to do life alone. We're made for connection. We're made for human connection. And so, um, being able to see that is really, really powerful. So, how do we reduce stigma? We talk about it. We talk about it. Um, and that can be really scary because it's vulnerability and vulnerability is it's terrifying.

[00:07:42]>> Small also reminds everyone this month that might be facing mental health struggles that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. In Van Beern, covering news where you live, Claire Everbach, 5 News.