Agents of the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigated alleged threats of violence against state supreme court justice John Few – as well as allegations that Few’s apartment had been “bugged,” multiple sources familiar with this ongoing inquiry told our news outlet this week.
Was Few ever actually threatened with violence, though? Or spied upon?
Given that criminal charges are not expected in connection with this inquiry, it seems unlikely.
Nor does it appear as though the justice was the one driving the investigation into these allegations.
According to our sources, the focus of the SLED probe – the ex-husband of Few’s estranged wife, Stephanie Y. Few – has been informed by agents that he will not be charged criminally in connection with the inquiry, which appears to stem from filings in a contentious Lowcountry family court case.
We reached out to Stephanie Few’s ex-husband – Steve Eames of Charleston, S.C. – seeking comment on the investigation, however we did not immediately receive a reply.
Few referred questions on the case to her attorney, Jerry Theos of Charleston, S.C.
Obviously, anyone involved in this case is certainly welcome to avail themselves of our open microphone at any time they might wish to do so.
According to our sources, SLED began its investigation into Eames back in August of 2019 shortly before a filing was made in the aforementioned family court case. Eames was questioned in July 2020 in connection with the inquiry, which focused on complaints that he was “harassing” justice Few and allegedly spying on the judge and his new wife (the Fews were married last October).
Few, 57, was elected to the bench in February 2016 – one of the few pro-free market justices appointed by the ostensibly “Republican” S.C. General Assembly in recent years.
Sources familiar with the investigation tell us Eames was accused of using a child’s Gizmo watch to conduct “electronic eavesdropping” on the Fews at the justice’s residence in downtown Columbia, S.C. However, we are told SLED conducted diagnostic examinations on the device in question and determined it was incapable of performing the “eavesdropping” as alleged.
As a result, the agency reportedly informed Eames on December 14, 2020 that it would not be seeking a warrant for his arrest regarding allegations of electronic eavesdropping.
Sources at SLED tell us this case was referred to the agency by the judicial division of the S.C. Bureau of Protective Services (SCBPS) – which itself is a division of the S.C. Department of Public Safety (SCDPS).
And what about the family court case that prompted the inquiry?
A divorce case involving Eames and Few has remained active in the Charleston county court system over the past decade, and was scheduled to receive a “final hearing” on March 2, 2020 – shortly before the coronavirus pandemic effectively shut down the Palmetto State’s court system.
According to our sources, the family court case has been in limbo pending the outcome of the SLED inquiry – which has yet to be formally closed.
In addition to her famous husband, Stephanie Few is well-known in her own right as an attorney in the Charleston, S.C. offices of Womble Bond Dickinson. She is also among the founding members of SC Women in Leadership, a group that is expected to be heavily involved in the upcoming debate over redrawing the Palmetto State’s political boundaries – a.k.a. “redistricting.”
Additionally, a promotional video released by her law firm touted Few as a “future governor hopeful.”
“She is known to harbor political aspirations,” a source close to the Fews told this news outlet.
According to our sources, the Fews formally separated earlier this year after less than a year of marriage – and are moving forward with divorce proceedings in 2021.
As we noted in our original report, news of their separation surprised many Palmetto politicos seeing as Stephanie Few praised her husband in a 2020 blog post as “brilliant and loving” – as well as a man who “loves a strong woman.” The Fews were also described as “affectionate” and “loving” by those who saw them together in public.
This news outlet will continue to keep tabs on this case as it develops and provide our readers with additional updates as they become available …
-FITSNews
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