Alex Murdaugh prosecutors allege that his defense team falsely claimed he passed a polygraph examination related to the murders of his wife and son. The allegation appears in a new filing submitted in Colleton County, South Carolina, ahead of Murdaugh’s scheduled retrial. Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian later told the court that he had mistakenly conflated several facts and apologized for the confusion. The retrial is expected to take place outside Colleton County in April 2027.
Murdaugh was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to two consecutive life terms for the June 7, 2021, killings of his wife and son. Those convictions were overturned in May 2026 after court clerk Becky Hill was found to have improperly influenced jurors. The latest dispute concerns whether polygraph results can be discussed or used as the case moves toward a new trial.
| 1) | Prosecutors challenge the polygraph claim |
| 2) | Harpootlian acknowledges a courtroom mistake |
| 3) | The disputed tests and their timing |
| 4) | Retrial venue and schedule |
| 5) | Why the issue matters before a new jury |
Prosecutors challenge the polygraph claim
In a filing submitted Wednesday in Colleton County, prosecutors said the defense’s assertion that Alex Murdaugh passed a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division polygraph concerning the murders was false. They argued that Murdaugh did not take a lie-detector test before or during his 2023 murder trial. The filing characterized the statement as an effort to prejudice the court and the public as the state prepares for another prosecution.
The allegation arose during an Aug. 14 hearing before Judge Debra McCaslin. The hearing focused on whether polygraph evidence or references to such testing could appear in the retrial. Prosecutors’ position is that no government-administered murder-related test supports the defense’s courtroom claim.
Harpootlian acknowledges a courtroom mistake
At the hearing, Dick Harpootlian said that Alex Murdaugh had passed a polygraph “in flying colors” and suggested the result could play a role in the trial. Prosecutors disputed that account in their filing, prompting a written response from Harpootlian the following day.
“I want to offer my apology to both the court and state for any confusion I may have caused.”
Harpootlian said he had incorrectly stated that Murdaugh took and passed the test because he had conflated several separate facts. His letter did not establish that Murdaugh passed a murder-related polygraph before the original trial. The judge had already ruled that polygraph results could not be used and that the parties could not mention them before the jury.
The disputed tests and their timing
According to prosecutors, the only polygraph taken by Alex Murdaugh occurred after the 2023 trial, in fall 2023, while the FBI was investigating serious financial crimes. That timing is central to the dispute because a test conducted after the murder conviction would not support a claim that he passed a pretrial examination about the killings.
The hearing also involved a claim that co-defendant Eddie Smith failed a polygraph concerning the murders. Prosecutors maintain that the defense’s comparison between Smith’s alleged result and an alleged Murdaugh result was misleading because the claimed Murdaugh examination did not occur as described. The court’s exclusion ruling prevents the issue from being presented to the retrial jury.
Retrial venue and schedule
The new trial is scheduled for April 2027 and will address the June 7, 2021, shootings of Alex Murdaugh‘s wife and son. On Friday, Debra McCaslin ruled that the proceeding must be moved out of Colleton County, where the original case was tried, but she did not announce a replacement venue.
The defense has pressed for a move to Richland County, arguing that another location could provide a larger jury pool. The final location remains undecided. The venue question follows the reversal of Murdaugh’s convictions after the court found that Becky Hill, the former clerk, improperly influenced jurors.
Why the issue matters before a new jury
Polygraph evidence is often contested in court, and Judge Debra McCaslin‘s ruling removes both the results and references to them from the retrial. That means the jury will not hear the disputed claim that Murdaugh passed a murder-related test, nor the defense’s assertion about Eddie Smith, unless the court changes its ruling.
The filing and subsequent apology also illustrate the competing positions before retrial. Prosecutors say the original statement was categorically false and prejudicial, while Harpootlian says it resulted from an error. The court will determine how the dispute affects the proceedings, but the underlying murder charges remain scheduled for a new trial.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Prosecutors say Murdaugh did not take a murder-related polygraph before his 2023 trial. |
| 2 | Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian apologized after saying Murdaugh passed a test. |
| 3 | The retrial is scheduled for April 2027 outside Colleton County, although the new venue has not been selected. |
Summary
Prosecutors allege that the defense made a false claim about Alex Murdaugh passing a polygraph related to the murders. Dick Harpootlian has acknowledged that he misstated the facts and apologized. Judge Debra McCaslin has barred polygraph results and references from the retrial, which will be moved from Colleton County and is scheduled for April 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do prosecutors allege about the polygraph?
They allege that Alex Murdaugh never took a murder-related polygraph before his 2023 trial and that the defense’s claim that he passed one was false.
What did Dick Harpootlian say afterward?
Dick Harpootlian said he had conflated several facts, incorrectly stated that Murdaugh had taken and passed a polygraph, and apologized to the court and the state.
When and where will the retrial occur?
The retrial is scheduled for April 2027. Judge Debra McCaslin ruled that it must be moved out of Colleton County, but a new location has not yet been announced.
