THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN GOOD ATTENDANCE AND LAWFUL BEHAVIOR AMONG THE THOUSANDS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE ‘NO KINGS’ RALLIES OVER THE WEEKEND IN THE LOWCOUNTRY. HUNDREDS OF PROTESTORS LINED MAJOR ROADWAYS IN HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT SATURDAY AFTERNOON TO MAKE THEIR DISPLEASURE KNOWN OVER ACTIONS OF THE CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION, BUT WITHOUT ANY INCIDENTS OR ARRESTS, AS PART OF A NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST THAT ORGANIZERS SAY BROUGHT MORE THAN 7-MILLION PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND THE COUNTRY TO VOICE THEIR DISPLEASURE WITH THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP OF THE COUNTRY.
THERE WERE NO ANNOUNCEMENTS OVER THE WEEKEND OF ANY ARRESTS IN THE MASS SHOOTING LAST WEEKEND IN ST. HELENA. BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF P-J TANNER THINKS HE’S NARROWED THE POSSIBLE SUSPECTS IN THAT MASS SHOOTING THAT KILLED 4 AND INJURED NEARLY 20 TO DISAGREEING GANG MEMBERS, BUT WHAT HE, AND EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE IS SOMEONE, OR A NUMBER OF 700 OR SO PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE TO BOLDLY COME FORWARD AND I-D THE INDIVIDUALS WHO PULLED THE TRIGGERS IN ALL THE CHAOS LAST WEEKEND. STATE LAB EXPERTS HAVE BEEN ANALYZING D-N-A AND SHELL CASING EVIDENCE AND MANY VIDEOS HAVE EVEN BEEN FORWARDED TO THE F-B-I, BUT TANNER’S STILL WAITING FOR POSITIVE IDENTIFICATIONS BEFORE HE CAN MAKE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OF ARRESTS, BLAMING A FEAR OF RETALIATION FOR WITNESSES TO COME FORWARD. SOME COMMUNITY LEADERS SAY A WIDESPREAD MISTRUST OF LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS ALSO BEEN PARTY RESPONSIBLE. A BEAUFORT LAWYER HAS COME FORWARD WITH A 10-THOUSAND DOLLAR REWARD AND A CAR DEALER IS OFFERING UP ANOTHER 5-GRAND FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO A CONVICTION.
WITH THE DEATH BY NATURAL CAUSES EARLIER THIS MONTH BY THE OLDEST OF THE 25 DEATH ROW INMATES IN SOUTH CAROLINA, 81-YEAR-OLD FRED SINGLETON, WHO’D SPENT HALF HIS LIFE ON DEATH ROW AFTER BEING CONVICTED OF STRANGLING AN ELDERLY WOMAN TO DEATH IN NEWBERRY COUNTY WAY BACK IN 1983, THERE’S A NEW GUY NOW UP NEXT TO BE EXECUTED NEXT IN COLUMBIA. STEPHEN BRYANT IS ONLY 44. HE WAS CONVICTED OF KILLING THREE MEN IN SUMTER COUNTY IN 2004 WHEN HE WAS 23. HE LOST HIS FINAL APPEAL FOR A STAY, HE SAYS, BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BECAUSE HIS LAWYERS ARE PAID THROUGH FEDERAL FUNDING, THOUGH THEY DID REPRESENT HIM IN RECENT HEARINGS. HIS DEFENSE HAS FOCUSED ON INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES HE’S HAD SINCE BIRTH. HE’S NOW SCHEDULED TO BE EXECUTED NOVEMBER 14TH. FOUR OTHER MEN HAVE BEEN PUT TO DEATH IN THE STATE THIS YEAR.
TWO YOUNG-ADULT WOMEN FROM NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY WERE ARRESTED FOR ROBBING THE PARKER’S CONVENIENCE STORE ON BUCKWALTER DRIVE AT GUNPOINT EARLIER THIS MONTH, BUT ITS HOW THEY WERE APPREHENDED THAT MIGHT BE BIGGER NEWS. BEAUFORT COUNTY DEPUTIES PULLED OVER THEIR CAR AFTER IT WAS IDENTIFIED BY AN AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE OKATIE HIGHWAY AND ARGENT BOULEVARD. OFFICERS FOUND A FIREARM BELIEVED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE ROBBERY IN THE CAR’S GLOVEBOX. THREE OTHER MINORS WERE ARRESTED FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING.