Murdaugh murder trial clerk is now accused of PLAGIARISM – with sales of tell-all-memoir halted after co-author canned partnership
- Neil Gordon has said he decided to hand in the book, called Behind the Doors of Justice, after being 'blindsided' by his co-author, clerk Becky Hill.
- He said Hill committed an “ethical blunder” by copying parts of a BBC article from a reporter who shared it with her before publication.
- Murdaugh's lawyers previously appealed his conviction, claiming Hill interfered with the jury – something she strongly denies
The South Carolina law clerk who wrote a tell-all memoir about the Alex Murdaugh murder trial has been accused of plagiarism by her potential co-author.
It's the same clerk, Murdaugh's lawyers have argued, who was “biased,” and therefore should get a new trial after his conviction for the murders of his wife and son.
Neil Gordon decided to release the planned book, called Behind the Doors of Justice, after being “caught off guard” by Colleton County Clerk Becky Hill.
He said Hill had committed an “ethical blunder” by copying parts of a BBC article from a reporter who shared it with her before publication. The BBC has been informed and is investigating.
“This has blindsided me,” Gordon said in a statement announcing that all sales of the book had been halted.
Becky Hill (pictured), the South Carolina law clerk who wrote a tell-all memoir about the Alex Murdaugh murder trial, has been accused of plagiarism by her co-author Neil Gordon
Neil Gordon decided to turn in their book, called Behind the Doors of Justice, after being “caught off guard” by Colleton County Clerk Becky Hill. (Pictured: the co-authors together before the plagiarism allegations came to light)
Murdaugh was convicted of murdering his wife and son and is serving a life sentence. He has appealed his conviction.
“When Gordon compared the text of the article with a twelve-page book passage in the foreword, supposedly written by Hill, he realized that she had taken the text of the article and made it her own,” a press release continued.
Gordon said he confronted Hill and she admitted she stole parts of the copy of the BBC report “due to deadline pressure.”
Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders is now canned
'Journalism has been my life's work; my credibility and integrity are of the utmost importance in everything I do,” Gordon said.
'I cannot be associated with anything like plagiarism and will no longer be working with Becky Hill on projects.
'I would like to apologize to our readers, and publicly to the BBC and the reporter.'
Murdaugh's lawyers previously appealed his murder conviction, claiming Hill interfered in his trial – something she strongly denies.
The team filed a motion on behalf of the disgraced South Carolina attorney, alleging that Hill had repeatedly “tampered with the jury.”
Court documents seen by DailyMail.com say Hill told jurors “not to be fooled by” Murdaugh, 55, and that their “deliberations would not last long.”
It read: 'Mrs. Hill did these things to secure himself a book deal and media appearances that wouldn't happen in the event of a mistrial. Ms. Hill betrayed her oath of office for money and fame.”
Murdaugh's legal team says he was “shaking and in disbelief” after they presented him with the evidence. He is currently serving two life sentences for the murder of Maggie and Paul.
Hill denies any wrongdoing. “I did not tell the jury 'not to be fooled' by evidence presented by Mr. Murdaugh's attorneys,” she said in her affidavit.
“I did not instruct the jury to 'keep a close eye on him.' I did not order the jury to “look at his actions.” I did not instruct the jury to 'watch his movements'.
However, Hill also wrote in the now-canned book that she feared Murdaugh would be acquitted of his alleged crimes when, according to her, “I knew in my heart he was guilty.”