Clerk in Murdaugh Murder Trial Accused of Plagiarism by Co-Author, Sales of Book Halted
Co-author Neil Gordon accuses court clerk Becky Hill of plagiarism in their book about the Alex Murdaugh murder trial.
Accusations of Plagiarism Surface
Becky Hill, the court clerk who oversaw the Alex Murdaugh murder trial and co-authored a book about it, has been accused of plagiarism by her co-author, Neil Gordon. Gordon uncovered the plagiarism while reviewing Hill's emails that were released through the Freedom of Information Act. He found that Hill had taken a portion of an article written by a BBC reporter and passed it off as her own in the preface of their book.
Gordon expressed his disappointment, stating that he could not excuse or condone Hill's behavior as a veteran journalist. He has decided to unpublish the book and halt sales. He also apologized to readers, the BBC, and the reporter affected by the plagiarism.
Hill Admits to Plagiarism
When confronted about the plagiarism, Hill admitted that she had plagiarized the passage due to deadline pressures. She took material written by the BBC reporter and submitted it to Gordon as if it were her own. Hill's attorneys issued a statement on her behalf, expressing her deep remorse and accepting full responsibility for her actions.
According to the statement, Hill reached out to the BBC reporter to apologize personally. The BBC's attorneys are currently investigating the matter.
Plagiarism Adds to Controversy
This accusation of plagiarism is not the only controversy surrounding Hill. She has also been accused of tampering with the jury to influence their verdict in the murder trial. Hill has denied these allegations. Alex Murdaugh's defense lawyers have filed a motion for a new trial based on the tampering allegations.
Former South Carolina attorney general Charlie Condon commented on Hill's credibility, stating that if she testifies in a hearing on the jury tampering allegations, her credibility will be attacked using the plagiarism charge. The South Carolina Court of Appeals has already granted a petition for a new trial based on the jury tampering accusations.
