SC

South Carolina Supreme Court Soap Opera: Investigation Into ‘Bugging’ Allegations Closed

Complaint filed by estranged wife of supreme court justice John Few yields “insufficient probable cause …”

A South Carolina man accused of threatening and stalking a justice of the state supreme court has been cleared of wrongdoing, according to an investigative report obtained by this news outlet.

As I reported back in January, the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has been investigating alleged threats of violence against state supreme court justice John Few – as well as allegations that Few’s apartment had been “bugged” by Steve Eames, the ex-husband of Few’s estranged wife, attorney Stephanie Y. Few.

These allegations – leveled by Stephanie Few – were found to be without merit, however.

According to Few, her ex-husband was allegedly using an electronic device belonging to one of their children – a Gizmo Watch – to “listen to conversations between herself, (their child) and her husband.”

Was he doing that? No … in part because the device in question was not configured for such functionality, according to SLED.

“Though theoretically the application could be hacked, it would require significant skill and time to do so,” SLED’s investigative report concluded.


Also, Stephanie Few provided investigators with nothing to support her version of events – despite being afforded multiple opportunities to do so.

Pressed by agents last October to provide “specific details” of any conversations Eames allegedly listened in on, “Few could not provide any specifics.”

In May, the Gizmo Watch subpoenaed as part of the investigation into Eames was returned to Stephanie Few. At that time, SLED agents asked her once again “if she could give any specifics as to conversations Eames would only have known by eavesdropping,” according to the report.

Once again, she could not …

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“Currently there is insufficient probable cause to charge Eames,” the SLED report concluded.

This outcome is not surprising. As I previously reported, Eames was informed on December 14, 2020 that SLED would not be seeking a warrant for his arrest regarding allegations of electronic eavesdropping.

Why did it take until June of this year for his case to be formally closed? Good question …

Also, why is SLED still investigating the alleged “threats” he is accused of making? That is another good question, because sources familiar with this line of inquiry have told us those allegations are every bit as bunk as the eavesdropping ones.

Which means an “ongoing” assessment of Eames seems … superfluous.

(Click to view)

(Via: Womble Bond Dickinson)

An attorney in the Charleston, S.C. offices of Womble Bond Dickinson, Few (above) is one of the founding members of a group called SC Women in Leadership – as well as an aspiring politician. A “Women of Womble” promotional video released by her law firm last spring touted her as a “future governor hopeful” – and sources close to the attorney have confirmed she is contemplating a gubernatorial bid.

How will her chaotic personal life play into these aspirations?

Regular readers of this news outlet are well aware the Fews have had a combustible, on-again-off-again relationship. They separated in 2020 after less than a year of marriage and were moving forward with divorce proceedings prior to reconciling last fall.

Earlier this year, though, they separated again …

What is the current status of their union? Who knows … and honestly, who cares.

The only reason I am addressing their marriage in this article is its proximity to the SLED report – which closed the book on an investigation initiated solely because of Few’s status as a justice on the state’s high court.

Unless Stephanie Few becomes an announced candidate for higher office, her marital status is no one else’s business. And I would argue it still wouldn’t be anyone else’s business unless she were to campaign as some sort of pro-family values “Republican.”

As for John Few, he is one of five justices appointed to the left-leaning S.C. supreme court by the state’s ostensibly “Republican” legislature. I have long maintained he is one of its more conservative, pro-free market voices – but others have challenged this assertion.

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THE REPORT …

(Via: SLED)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

(Via: FITSNews)

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. And yes, he has LOTS of hats (including that Washington Nationals’ lid pictured above).

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