by JENN WOOD
***
More than two months after a South Carolina judge agreed to release records tied to the jury tampering investigation that unraveled Alex Murdaugh’s initial murder convictions, the attorney seeking those files is preparing to take the fight back to court.
Columbia attorney Joe McCulloch confirmed to FITSNews on Monday (October 26, 2026) he plans to file a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to obtain the records on behalf of former Murdaugh juror Myra Crosby.
His confirmation followed a report published Monday morning by Elizabeth Broadbent, who wrote that the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the attorney general’s office and the solicitor’s office had yet to provide McCulloch with the requested files.
McCulloch told Broadbent he intended to give the agencies an appropriate reminder. He subsequently confirmed to FITSNews that this reminder referred to the filing of a FOIA lawsuit.
“Closed case,” he added. We’re past the protective order.”
For Crosby — and a public still waiting to scrutinize the investigation into former Colleton County clerk of court Rebecca “Becky” Hill — the dispute has moved well beyond whether prosecutors support disclosure.
They said they did months ago. Now it’s time – past time, actually – to follow through on that pledge.
***
AGREEMENT WITHOUT ACCESS
As FITSNews reported in July, prosecutors for S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson supported releasing both the sealed proceedings surrounding Crosby’s removal from the jury and the investigative materials generated during the inquiry into Hill.
Their condition? Juror identities and other sensitive information had to be redacted first.
The records included interview memoranda, video recordings and other investigative materials that remained subject to a protective order throughout the post-trial litigation. Prosecutors cautioned that editing recordings and reviewing written materials would take time — including interviews with witnesses who were not jurors but whose statements could identify members of the panel.
Crosby’s response anticipated precisely the dispute now unfolding.
In a July 27 filing, McCulloch urged the court to ensure the redaction process did not become another reason to delay public access. As previously reported, Crosby argued the public should be able to evaluate how state investigators handled allegations that ultimately helped undo one of South Carolina’s most closely watched murder convictions.
At the August 14 pretrial hearing, circuit court judge Debra McCaslin agreed to release the materials with protections for juror identities, according to Broadbent’s account. McCaslin maintained that jurors’ decisions to speak publicly did not eliminate the court’s responsibility to protect identifying information.
More than ten weeks later, McCulloch told Broadbent he still had received none of the requested records.
***
RELATED | Becky Hill Lawsuit: Murdaugh Takes Fight To Appeals Court
***
MORE THAN THE ‘EGG JUROR’ FILES
Crosby, widely known as the “Egg Juror,” has repeatedly sought to distinguish the records of her dismissal from the broader investigation into Hill’s conduct.
The sealed, private proceedings concerning her removal were only part of what she wanted to see.
According to her July filing, McCulloch had been permitted to review portions of those proceedings but determined they did not contain the investigative records generated during the state’s subsequent jury tampering inquiry.
To obtain those materials, he submitted FOIA requests to SLED, Wilson’s office and the office of eleventh circuit solicitor Rick Hubbard, who was tasked with investigating Hill’s alleged jury tampering.
Each agency cited former S.C. supreme court justice Jean Toal’s January 2024 protective order in declining to produce the records, according to Crosby’s filing. That remained the agencies’ position even after Hill’s criminal case had concluded.
McCulloch told Broadbent he understood McCaslin’s August ruling to have resolved those protective-order concerns, subject to appropriate redactions.
McCulloch’s confirmation to FITSNews clearly indicated he now intends to pursue the records through a separate FOIA lawsuit.
***
RELATED | State’s Unsealing Plan Doesn’t Go Far Enough
***
AN INVESTIGATION STILL SHIELDED
The fight over access also renews scrutiny of the decision not to prosecute Hill for jury tampering.
Hill pleaded guilty in December 2025 to other charges arising from her conduct in office. Prosecutors declined to pursue criminal jury tampering charges against her.
As FITSNews previously reported, Hubbard told the court during Hill’s plea hearing that his office had sufficient evidence to obtain an indictment but could not prove a jury tampering case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Crosby cited that explanation in arguing for public access to the investigative file. The records would allow citizens to examine the evidence investigators gathered and assess how authorities reached their charging decision.
The South Carolina Supreme Court subsequently reversed Murdaugh’s murder convictions in May 2026 following its review of Hill’s improper communications with jurors.
The consequences continue to work their way through the courts. Murdaugh’s attorneys are also asking the federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to revive his civil rights lawsuit against Hill, alleging her interference destroyed the value of the $600,000 defense he funded for his first trial.
That case is separate from McCulloch’s planned records lawsuit. But both stem from conduct whose full investigative record remains beyond public scrutiny.
Prosecutors supported disclosure. McCaslin agreed to release the materials with redactions. Crosby’s attorney says he is still waiting.
Now, obtaining the records could require another lawsuit.
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.
***
SOUND OFF…
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
