CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A court of appeals has overturned the sentence and conviction of Russell Laffitte, the former banker and Alex Murdaugh accomplice who was sent to prison for a slew of financial-related crimes, according to new court filings.
A judge vacated the sentence this week and sent the case to U.S. District Court for further proceedings.
Documents show the decision was based on what the ruling described as juror errors during the original trial that violated Laffitte’s Fifth Amendment rights.
Laffitte was sentenced to 84 months, or seven years, in federal prison and ordered to pay over $3 million in restitution after being found guilty in November 2022 of helping convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh steal from clients.
At the time, Laffitte was serving as the CEO of Palmetto State Bank and was accused of using his position at the bank to carry out the crimes.
He was charged with six federal indictments connected to bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and three counts of misapplication of bank funds.
During the trial, several notes were provided to the court from members of the jury -- one of which said a juror needed medicine and that they were feeling pressured to change their vote.
Another note told the judge a juror's previous court experience was influencing their ability to discuss the trial and that the juror was being hostile to hearing any debate.
The final note came from a juror who asked to be replaced because they were experiencing anxiety.
It was ultimately found that the juror who needed medicine was also the juror who was not willing to discuss the trial. The court dismissed them, and the juror feeling anxiety was taken into a private room to speak with the judge -- they were dismissed as well.
When announced, Laffitte's team objected to the decision to let the second juror go. In his appeal to the guilty verdict, Lafitte's lawyers argued his constitutional rights were violated by the dismissal of both jurors.
Several circuit judges ultimately agreed with part of Laffitte's appeal and said the decision to release the juror who was having anxiety violated Lafitte's Fifth Amendment right to be present at certain critical stages of the proceedings against him, and that his Sixth Amendment right for an impartial jury was violated as well.
In turn, the decision vacates Laffitte's conviction and sentence and grants his previous request for a new trial.