SC Republican party leader, her mother faced mob assault charges. Here’s how judge ruled
A judge dismissed mob assault charges Friday against the political director for the South Carolina Republican Party and her mother.
Braylee Estep, 22, of Columbia, and Michele Estep, 53, of Conway, were arrested by Conway Police on Jan. 3 and Jan. 2, respectively, on charges of third-degree assault and battery by a mob . Another woman, Katie Richelle Turvey, 26, of Conway, was arrested Jan. 4 on the same charges related to the incident.
The three woman in December allegedly hit a person multiple times who had been drinking at Stalvey’s Watering Hole, located at 1609 4th Ave. in Conway, according to a police report. Michele Estep owns the bar.
Turvey also faces charges of petit larceny and malicious injury to personal property after taking a Stanley Cup from the victim’s vehicle and repeatedly striking the vehicle several times with the cup, leaving dents, the report said.
The dismissal came during a preliminary hearing for the charges against the mother and daughter. Turvey was not present during Friday’s preliminary hearing.
The women’s attorney, Natasha Hannah, successfully argued that the charge required premeditation, but that there was none based on the officer’s testimony that Braylee Estep was inside the bar and her mother outside the bar sitting on the curb before the altercation began.
There is no video of the altercation. The officer said that video was requested but was unavailable.
Hannah argued that the witness statements “were not reliable,” and that it wasn’t possible for the women to plan the attack since they were not together before it happened.
Neither Braylee nor Michele Estep were available for comment after the hearing. Their attorney was also unavailable.
Braylee Estep is still listed as the political director for the state GOP party. Since her arrest, officials from the state Republican Party have not returned several messages seeking comment.
What happened that night
Police responded about 11 p.m. Dec. 23 to a report of vandalism, according to a police report. When officers arrived, the victim and a witness told police that while drinking at the bar, Turvey’s boyfriend began to make them feel uncomfortable by hanging his arms over their shoulders.
Turvey allegedly began to shake her head and call the victim and witness vulgar names. The victim and witness then decided to leave and the “bickering” continued between the two parties in the parking lot.
Michele Estep allegedly heard the victim say something negative about her daughter, the report said. Braylee Estep then came to the vehicle and began to bang on the window. The victim and witness were inside the vehicle at the time.
Braylee Estep and Turvey came out of the bar after hearing the commotion and also came to the vehicle, the report said. At some point the door of the vehicle was opened by one of the women, the report said.
At that time, all three women began to hit the unnamed victim several times with their hands, causing injury, the report stated. Turvey then allegedly grabbed the Stanley cup from the vehicle’s cup holder and began to bang it on the vehicle, placing dents into it.
The victims were able to put the vehicle in reverse and leave, and then called police.
The report said all of those involved, except for the witness, were “highly” intoxicated.
This story was originally published March 1, 2024 at 12:50 PM.
