The two unidentified male students from Clemson University will not face any criminal charges for taking the colorful surfboards from Mosquito Beach, but they will be subject to some conditions: Each will perform 40 hours of community service in the Sol Regale area, meet with Sol Regale residents and watch the film “Glory” to understand the area’s Civil War history.
“We are very sorry about what happened and feel welcomed into the community,” one chagrined student told a mostly black group of about 40 people who attended Sol Legare’s Concerned Citizens rally on Monday. The sign, which was salvaged from a university dorm room on April 10, was returned to its historic location today.
What on earth happened…?
Some residents in the majority-black community believe that if the roles were reversed and two black students had stolen something from nearby Folly Beach, they would have been sent to prison.
Shirley Gaillard Carter, director of the group Sol Legare Concerned Citizens, said she agrees with the decision to clear the students from criminal charges but believes “if it had been our kids, they would have gone to prison. Everyone deserves a second chance.”
Still, students are feeling the wrath of a historic community.
“They were severely reprimanded,” Carter said, referring to the pair’s attendance at a meeting last month.
But the Mosquito Beach Business Association’s decision not to pursue criminal charges has led to the association’s vice president, Cubby Wilder, a former James Island Public Service Commissioner, being subjected to harsh criticism from across the Sol Legare community.
“I’ve been told a thousand times that I’m too nice, but after a community meeting I said, what if it was your child who made a mistake?” asked Wilder, 80, who recalled when Folly Beach opened to black bathers in the early 1960s.
Service to the Sol Regale Community
“We want our kids to learn about black history that’s not in the history books,” said Wilder, who lives on Sol Legare Road. “Part of their homework is [tasks] My goals, Wilder said, were to “go see Glory,” attend a meeting to hear about Sol Legare’s community projects, pick up trash around the property and tour the community’s Seashore Farmers Lodge and Cultural Center.
Charleston County Sheriff Christine Graziano, who happened to be at Monday’s community meeting, said her office is not involved because the association has not filed charges.
“Without the victim, there is no crime,” she said, adding that such cases are often resolved without charges being filed. “Anyone who wants a second chance should be given one.”
As part of their community service, the students agreed to watch the 1989 film “Glory,” which focuses on the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. Black volunteers formed by the Union Army during the war were among the units that took part in the failed attack on Fort Wagner on Morris Island depicted in the film. The black soldiers had camped in the Sol Legare area before the attack.
The sign was brought from Mosquito Beach in the Sol Regale neighborhood, where concerned citizens “also wanted the kids to do some work for Sol Regale,” Wilder told City Paper in an exclusive interview.
“The Mosquito Beach Business Association and Concerned Citizens of the Sol Legare Community Foundation invited my clients into the community and gave them the opportunity not only to do service work but also to sit down with community members and learn from their experiences. We are grateful for their decision to use this situation as a lesson learned,” said Matt Austin, a Charleston attorney who is representing the students.
When the students were asked this month if they had learned anything from the incident, one began nodding while another directed a reporter to contact Austin.
There is no charge, but…
On April 5, Wilder stopped a Charleston County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputy and reported that he had last seen the sign the previous day in the area of Mosquito Beach Road and Sol Regale Road.
Five days later, Charleston County detectives met with Clemson police officers in Columbia to retrieve the sign and return it to Mosquito Beach. Clemson Vice President of Public Affairs Joe Galbraith did not respond to The Journal’s request for comment.
After the signs were discovered at Clemson and students were questioned about them, Wilder created a work plan that would get each student 40 hours of community service to avoid criminal charges, he said.
“The sheriff’s office sent me the paperwork, and I’ll sign it once they’ve completed their hours,” Wilder told City Paper. He said charges could be filed “if they don’t show up for their 40-hour shift.” Wilder said he hasn’t set a deadline for the work to be completed.
In a text message to City Paper, sheriff’s office spokeswoman Alexis Douglas said Mosquito Beach community leaders asked if the department could provide a log to record service hours “as negotiated in a civil agreement between the parties. We have provided a log, but it is not something the community is required to provide to the department, and CCSO is not responsible for monitoring community service hours in any way.”
“Because this is a civil agreement, no order has been issued to the parties in this case,” Douglas said. “If an order had been issued, charges and adjudication would have been necessary. If in the future local leaders decide they want to sign a denial of prosecution, they are free to change their minds and do so.”
Andy Black contributed to this story.
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