Viral Video: Man Charged In Comedy House Assault
Columbia, SC (WOLO)– An arrest was made in connection to the Comedy House brawl between a man and the comedian on stage. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said there is no blame to put on the Comedy House, or their security team. He said all the blame for this incident, that he says could have easily turned deadly, belongs to the man they arrested Wednesday morning.
Cell phone video shows Marvin Toatley jump on stage and start swinging at comedian Steve Brown. Security escorted him out but that is after he used the mic stand as a weapon, and throws the bar stool. Toatley injured not only the comedian, but two others at the club.
“The security at Comedy House does not wear uniforms. That’s the decision that Comedy House made. That they don’t want their security in uniform, but they are and there was security there. And they reacted like they should’ve reacted,” Lott said.
Richland County Sheriff’s Department Fugitive Task Force found Toatley in an apartment complex. Toatley is charged with three counts of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, one count of assault and battery 3rd degree, and one count of malicious injury to property. RCSD said the comedian asked Toatley if he was okay, which sparked the violence.
“I go there.. When I’ve been there, I’m like, am I going to get picked on tonight? And that’s why you sit in the back so you don’t get seen. I mean that’s part of going, that’s part of the show. That happens. Some comedians do it, some don’t. That’s up to them on their show,” Lott said. Sheriff Lott said a key piece of evidence for the investigation was all the cell phone video others at the club took, helping them piece together what exactly happened.
“When you have video like that, it strengthens the verbal statements or written statements that witnesses or victims give. When you have it and you see it, it helps us. So we’re glad that the people inside took that video to help us out on the case,” Lott said.
However, as useful as the video is, Sheriff Lott says there are two sides to the social media sword.
“We’re fortunate that it wasn’t worse than what it is, but I think it’s been blown out of proportion a lot. If there wasn’t video, we wouldn’t be standing here talking about it,” Lott said. Toatley is being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. All people injured on Sunday are said to have minor injuries according to Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
“I just shake my head when I see something like this. Why would somebody lose control over going and having a comedian make fun of them? I mean, I just shake my head that some people do something like that,” Lott said. Sheriff Lott said this is an isolated incident that could have happened anywhere. The comedian who was on the stage, Steve Brown has taken to social media and is having a good laugh over the situation now that it is over.
