Florida white nationalist who spoke at Charlottesville rally denied bond in SC. Why?
A white nationalist and former Senate candidate who spoke at a deadly 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Va., will remain in jail in South Carolina after being accused of kidnapping his family at gunpoint last month.
Augustus Sol Invictus appeared in court Thursday afternoon in Rock Hill, S.C., for the first time since he was extradited from Florida.
Invictus said in court the charges against him are “absurd” and he is “absolutely innocent.”
Despite saying he is a criminal defense attorney, Invictus claimed to be indigent and was appointed a public defender to represent him.
Rock Hill City Judge Dolores Williams denied Invictus bond on charges of kidnapping, domestic violence, and possession of a gun during a violent crime.
Rock Hill Police Department Detective Matt Beach said in court Invictus held a gun to his wife’s head Dec. 12, then kidnapped her and took her and their children, ages 1 and 2, to Jacksonville, Fla. The wife then escaped, talked to police in Florida, and again in Rock Hill.
Beach said Invictus is a threat to the victim, a threat to public safety, a flight risk, and should be denied bond.
Invictus sent his wife a letter stating she (the wife) has been “excommunicated for life,” Beach said in court.
“She (the victim) is one hundred percent certain Augustus will kill her,” Beach said in court.
Invictus’ wife told police, ‘It’s only a matter of time” before he kills her if he is released,’ Beach said in court.
The Herald is not naming the wife. She has been staying in a shelter for domestic violence victims since she returned to South Carolina, officials said.
Beach, the detective, also said in court that Invictus’ political views expressed online show he is a threat to the public. Beach said Invictus has threatened to burn buildings including the Southern Poverty Law Center, shopping centers, and other places.
Invictus has published online statements saying, “The lowest rung in hell is reserved for traitors,” and “Protect your own, annihilate the traitors,” Beach said in court.
Beach said Invictus has shown through online published statements a “militant and violent ideology” that advocates the overthrow of civilization.
Invictus wrote, “I decide who lives and who dies,” Beach said in court.
Invictus also is a flight risk, Beach said.
“He identifies himself as an outlaw,” Beach said. “He will likely disappear as an outlaw.”
Invictus said in court that the charges are false and he will be owed an apology by police. He said statements Beach referenced about his political views were part of his political campaign, and have no relevance to the criminal charges.
“Detective Beach has not done his job in any fashion whatsoever,” Invictus said. “That statement he has is a declaration of my campaign for public office. To act like that has anything to do with this case is not only absurd, it is reckless. The only other thing I have to say is Ia am absolutely innocent. As soon as this is over, and everybody finds out what happened, I will accept detective Beach’s apology magnanimously. All I look forward to is going home with my family.”
Invictus now will be sent to the York County jail. He could ask for another bond hearing in front of a South Carolina Circuit Court Judge at a later date, Williams said.
After court, York County Public defender B.J. Barrowclough said his office will conduct its own investigation and give Invictus the best defense it can. Barrwowclough said Invictus’ political, social and cultural views expressed online and during his political race are extraneous to the criminal charges.
“The public defender’s office will represent anybody regardless of their point of view,” Barrowclough said.
Barrowclough declined to comment on the criminal charges, saying he hasn’t had a chance to review the allegations.
Invictus was extradited from Brevard County, Fla., on Wednesday. He was taken into custody Dec. 30, at a mall in Melbourne, Fla., according to the Miami Herald.
Invictus, 36, is charged by Rock Hill Police Department officers with domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, kidnapping, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, police records show. He faces as much as 55 years in prison if convicted of all charges, South Carolina law shows.
‘Unite the Right’ rally speaker
Invictus spoke at the August 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va. One woman was later killed and several people were hurt when James Fields rammed his car into a crowd.
Invictus has acknowledged that he is friends with white supremacists and, though he denied his affiliation then, was praised and credited by white nationalist leader Richard Spencer as writing the first draft of the Charlottesville statement, according to the Miami Herald.
Invictus ran for Senate in Florida in 2016 as a libertarian. During his Senate campaign, Invictus drew attention for his claim that he killed a goat and drank its blood in a pagan ritual, the Miami Herald reported.
Now an Orlando-area attorney, Invictus runs The Revolutionary Conservative, a website marketed as an alternative to conservative media that “play the victim” and calls for a violent uprising, the Miami Herald reported.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 3:51 PM.
