Augusta, GA
Augusta co-author discusses investigations of S.C. official
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WIS) – Neil Gordon, the Augusta-based co-author of “Behind the Doors of Justice” with embattled Colleton County, S.C, Clerk of Court Becky Hill, is calling a pair of investigations of her “disappointing.”
The investigations, confirmed by the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division this week, are looking into whether she tampered with the jury in the Alex Murdaugh double-murder trial and used her elected position for personal gain.
“The Hills and the Gordons had become very close friends during the process of producing the book, so I certainly don’t wish any ill will on Becky,” said Gordon, who’s also the publisher of the Augusta Business Daily. “The part that concerns me is for gain personally that SLED mentioned.”
EARLIER COVERAGE:
- Augusta co-author to donate proceeds of Murdaugh book
- SLED launches investigations into Colleton County clerk of court
That concern stems from knowledge that Hill conducted some of the book business on her county email account, something Gordon said he had advised against.
A SLED spokesperson could not confirm when the probes began, but South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson called on the agency to look into the jury tampering allegations in September, days after Murdaugh’s attorneys went public with those claims.
As part of their request for a new trial, Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin alleged that Hill tried to sway jurors to reach a guilty verdict to help sell the book she would later publish with Gordon.
“We never considered the likelihood as reported to us by the jurors that the Clerk of Court would go into the sanctity of the juror room before he (Murdaugh) testified, and tell the jurors, ‘Don’t be fooled by his testimony, watch out for his body language,’” Griffin said at a September news conference.
Hill has categorically denied these allegations.
Murdaugh’s attorneys say the question before the court goes directly to Hill’s credibility, and Gordon acknowledges that took a hit when she admitted to plagiarizing a portion of their book’s preface.
“The plagiarism has not helped her credibility, but in fairness, I think the allegations of jury tampering and some decisions that she has made could be very, very separate,” he said. “I really do think that it comes down, nothing to do with the book, just whatever conversations that she may or may not have had with jury members.”
Gordon said through dozens of hours of working with Hill on the book, she never once mentioned any specific conversations that she had with jurors.
Once the plagiarism came to light on Dec. 22, Gordon said they made the decision to unpublish the book, the last copies of which were sold on Amazon this week.
All proceeds that he and his wife made following that revelation will be donated to charity, he said.
Gordon said he and his wife were interviewed by SLED a few months ago as part of the investigation, with the conversation focusing on when the couple first met Hill, when the idea for the book came about and when they started writing the book.
“I think they were trying to understand how much work maybe Becky did on the book before or during the course of trial,” he said.
Gordon said he does not know how much writing Hill did throughout the trial because he did not meet her until March 23, three weeks after Hill read the guilty verdict.
Gordon’s wife met Hill on the second to last day of the trial, he said.
He said he would be willing to cooperate with any subpoena.
“We have saved all of the text messages and emails and I think some of the conversations that we had as we were producing the book,” Gordon said. “For lack of better words, I’m an open book and I’m very transparent, I’m very honest and I’m more than willing to answer any questions whatsoever.”
Hill’s attorneys, Justin Bamberg and Will Lewis, did not respond to a request for comment.
The allegations surrounding Hill will be discussed at an evidentiary hearing later this month at the Richland County courthouse.
A status conference in the case is set for Tuesday, Jan. 16.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The historic Turpin neighborhood will soon welcome more affordable homes after Augusta Habitat for Humanity was awarded $1.85 million in federal funding this week.
The grant will fund the construction of at least 12 homes in the area.
“Habitat for Humanity applied for federal funding, and they were awarded the funding,” said District 2 Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.
Reviving a historic community
The Turpin neighborhood was once home to professionals, including educators, doctors, and lawyers.
“These big professionals that lived mostly over this way,” one resident said of the neighborhood’s history.
Pulliam described the area’s former prominence as “its grand days of glory, when it was the place.”
The project brings together city organizers and community partners through the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, or GICH.
“We have so many partners. We have the Housing Authority on board. We have a representative from the Hub on board,” Pulliam said. “There’s so many great partners at the table that’s helping pull all of this together.”
Federal support and future plans
The project received backing from Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.
Habitat for Humanity, with support from GICH, focused its application on Turpin Hill intentionally, as officials say the community had been needing to be addressed for years.
With Habitat for Humanity continuing to advocate for more funds, Pulliam said their motivation could lead to additional housing development in the future.
“We keep going and going and going,” she said. “Now we can do 20. Now we can do multifamily. So it’s fueling our fire to get more housing, but not just housing, to clean up the area.”
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – President Donald Trump said he will sign an emergency declaration to pay TSA agents, as nearly 500 have quit since the shutdown began.
More than 40 percent of Atlanta’s TSA agents did not show up on Wednesday, leading to long lines at Atlanta’s airport and across the country. It is unclear when President Trump will sign the emergency order. TSA workers will miss their second paycheck Friday.
In a statement on Truth Social, President Trump said, “I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation.”
The president thanked TSA agents. The Department of Homeland Security as a whole will not be funded at this time. The Coast Guard and FEMA are among the agencies still impacted.
If senators do not reach a deal to fund the department on Friday, they are set for a two-week recess.
Augusta airport prepares for tournament week
TSA workers are a concern as tournament week approaches in Augusta. Security and safety are also concerns after a plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport.
Augusta Regional Airport and its fire department are working to keep visitors safe as they fly in for tournament week.
William Kovalchuk, a sergeant with the Augusta Airport Fire Department, operates an airport-specific fire truck.
“There’s a ton of traffic and a ton of congestion. This whole ramp area where I showed you guys a little bit ago, it’ll be completely filled with aircraft,” Kovalchuk said.
Tournament week sees the regional airport become a global hub, with flights in from 13 extra cities and more than 200 private planes parked on the tarmac.
Lauren Smith, deputy director of Augusta Regional Airport, said the airport works closely with the FAA during tournament week.
“During that time, we actually work very closely with the FAA to bring in additional controllers,” Smith said.
Extra controllers keep the airspace and runway safe. Enhanced safety measures are in place inside the terminal as well.
“Overall, everyone brings in more staff. The tenants, the rental car agencies, the airlines, the airport itself,” Smith said.
The fire department stages a second station across the airport to cover every flight.
“The manning will be stepped up quite a bit,” Kovalchuk said. “We don’t want to see anything happen, but we’re prepared for it.”
The airport said the average wait time is still less than an hour to get through security during tournament week.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Georgia Library Director of the Year was honored at a ceremony in Jefferson County.
Christina Shepherd received the award and a county proclamation. Jefferson County officials also honored the library board during the ceremony.
“I’m very thankful. I think it’s great for Jefferson County to have this award brought here and bringing light to us,” Shepherd said. “I don’t think I do anything extraordinary that any librarian wouldn’t do, but I just keep doing it. I appreciate it. I’m thankful.”
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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