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Judge Orders Murdaugh Retrial Moved for Fairness

8/15/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Judge Debra McCaslin ordered Alex Murdaugh’s murder retrial to be moved from Colleton County to ensure fairness.
The retrial is set for April 5, 2027, after the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his convictions on May 13, 2026.
McCaslin let prosecutors use Murdaugh’s 2023 trial testimony only for murder evidence and approved DNA testing of Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails.

History

Historical Context

Former NFL star O.J. Simpson was tried for the 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in Los Angeles County Superior Court, with Judge Lance Ito presiding from January 24 to October 3 1995. The eight-month trial, broadcast to about 95 million viewers, amplified post-Rodney King racial tensions and highlighted the nascent use of DNA evidence in U.S. criminal law.

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Story summary

Judge Debra McCaslin ordered Alex Murdaugh’s murder retrial to be moved from Colleton County to ensure fairness.
The retrial is set for April 5, 2027, after the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his convictions on May 13, 2026.
McCaslin let prosecutors use Murdaugh’s 2023 trial testimony only for murder evidence and approved DNA testing of Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails.

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