The suspect was in the front row at the club and became upset because he said comedian Steve Brown had « picked on him » during the performance.
COLUMBIA, S. C. — A man was charged with assault and battery Wednesday after authorities say he jumped on stage at a South Carolina comedy club and attacked a comedian he said was picking on him.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said Marvin Toatley, 28, jumped on stage Sunday night at the Comedy House in Columbia and tried to punch comedian Steve Brown.
Lott said Toatley was in the front row at the popular club and became upset because he said Brown had « picked on him » during the performance.
« This individual just lost his control, » Lott said. « That’s part of the show. I’ve been there (to the Comedy House), and I’ve been picked on. »
Lott said Toatley tried to punch Brown at first, then swung the mic stand before finally throwing a stool.
The flying mic stand injured two other people in the club. Brown was left with a deep cut on his arm.
Security guards helped get Toatley off the stage escorted him out of the club.
Toatley is charged with three counts of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. Two of the charges are for the clubgoers who were also assaulted, while one is for the injuries to Brown. Each count carries up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted.
Toatley was being held at the Richland County jail on a $65,000 bond.
A video of the incident made in the club has been viewed millions of times, and the sheriff said it made his investigation easy.
« We could have had people seriously injured or killed, » Lott said. « You just shake your head that somebody would do something like that. »
The sheriff said he enjoys going to the comedy club but learned a long time ago to sit in the back if he doesn’t want to become part of the act.
“You’ve got to have tough skin if you’re going to a place like that,” Lott said at a news conference.
Contributing: The Associated Press
