Barrister’s Brawllin’?
We promise we’re not trying to juxtapose this story with last week’s release of South Carolina bar exam results (we wouldn’t do that), but the rumor mill out of Charleston, S.C. concerning this year’s Barrister’s Ball is just too good to pass up.
Seriously, how can you beat mass public urination, drunken sexcapades (w/ pics) and a state lawmaker allegedly getting beat up?
That’s like spending a day on FITS, people!
Anyway, since our founding editor’s much-ballyhooed visit to the Charleston School of Law (CSOL) earlier this month, our email has been blowing up – including several missives from students who, like us, want the chips to fall where they may.
And while we figure law students getting schnockered and having a little fun probably isn’t news, a lawmaker getting pummeled would definitely be news …
Comments
By HIPAA Violator on April 21st, 2009 at 10:11 am
I haven’t heard anything about this but am counting on someone in the know to step up and share the news!
By NotaFitsFan on April 21st, 2009 at 10:59 am
You should seriously check your facts before writing this crap. There are no pictures, nobody was having sex, nobody was beaten up. It was a good time. Plain and simple.
By Powellj1 on April 21st, 2009 at 11:11 am
Once again fits news has proved how ridiculous it is. When Will Folks came to CSOL and spoke he kept hammering on the point that he checks the facts, and the numbers. Whoever wrote this piece obviously has no interest in facts but in smearing CSOL. There were no fights at Barrister’s Ball, least yet ones involving a lawmaker. There were no “drunken sexcapades, w/pics” as you claim at the aquarium. So way to go Fits in showing that you have zero journalistic integrity.
By HonkyTonk on April 21st, 2009 at 11:15 am
You hit the nail on the head, Will. “Rumor mill.”
By chaslawdude on April 21st, 2009 at 11:20 am
Let’s be honest, he’s not totally exaggerating. The article is stretched, but yes, someone peed in the tank, people were having sex in the bathroom, and there was an assault. The more you try to cover up, the worse it looks people.
By fitsnews on April 21st, 2009 at 11:37 am
Whoa, whoa, whoa … people, people, people.
Simmer down now.
And you might want to think about all those categorical denials.
:)
We never write something unless we’ve got multiple sources to back it up.
-FITS
By Spittin' on April 21st, 2009 at 11:37 am
This school/business is a total joke at every level. The only thing worse is the level of students/customers they have. I am sure this party was totally awesome and can not wait to hear about it.
By Powellj1 on April 21st, 2009 at 11:45 am
He isn’t totally exaggerating he is lying!!! Someone did pee in the tank. People were not having sex in the bathroom (RUMOR), and there was not an assualt (BOLD FACED LIE).
So while you say stretched I say 1 for 3 on your facts. While that might be pretty good numbers in baseball, its considered a worthless attempt at journalism!!!!!
By Curious on April 21st, 2009 at 11:57 am
CSOL is no worse than those at USCL…. Except that USCL is antequated and needs to be flushed – CSOL is just starting out and has its own set of detractors – given time they will be better than USCL.
By Andy on April 21st, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Details?
By Rutledge on April 21st, 2009 at 12:53 pm
This news does not surprise me. Is Charleston School of Law even accredited? I cannot believe students pay that much to go to such a second (5th?) rate institution!
By JMP on April 21st, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Dear Sir,
Considering your own history and experience with the charge of assault, one would assume that you would use more discretion in implying charges of this nature.
By Mike on April 21st, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Will,
You possess a near-mystical power to make people hyperventilate.
PS to Powellj1- the expression is “bald-faced lie,” even when panting…
By Powellj1 on April 21st, 2009 at 1:29 pm
The phrase can either be used as bold-faced lie, as in someone with a bold enough face to lie or someone bold enough to lie to your face; it can also be used as bald-faced lie, where the older meaning of bald (meaning uncovered or unconcealed) – the more correct usage with this term is bare-faced lie.
So all semantics and syntax aside, the story is 2/3 Lies and 1/3 truth!!!!
By soproudcsolgrad on April 21st, 2009 at 2:27 pm
CSOL kids: Don’t shoot the messenger. These “rumors” are being spread by your classmates. Where do you think Will heard about it? People that were there are saying that the otter tank peeing incident was caught on tape and the sex was caught on tape, and that a passed out drunk student was roused by the husband of a SC Court of Appeals Judge who, they say, he subsequently assaulted. I have heard these stories from many different sources who were in attendance. So get on twen and tell your classmates to get their facts straight, or better yet, to just keep their mouths shut.
By Remember when... on April 21st, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Remember last semester when a USC law student actually died from alcohol poisoning after being hazed? Just an example of how Will Folks chooses to post information that is only partially true about CSoL while blatantly ignoring what goes on in his own town.
By Interested Party on April 21st, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Why would CSOL students make up rumors about what happened at B. Ball?
Those of you angered by this post…think about the source of the “rumor.”
I didn’t attend the event, but I got phone calls from my fellow classmates (within 48 hours) claiming all sorts of fantastic happenings. I’ll repeat the question:
Why would CSOL STUDENTS start rumors about assault/sex/public urination?
Let it sink in….
….sinking…sinking…oh yes, now we come to the conclusion that Will Folks started it all. SERIOUSLY, people? Stop throwing stones.
By FellowStudent on April 21st, 2009 at 2:51 pm
The bottom line is that a few peoples actions at Barrister’s Ball was completely inappropriate. A couple of people peed somewhere in the aquarium, no one had sex as far as anyone knows, and there was an over-served individual who had a verbal altercation with a judges spouse (there was no brawl).
While I’m completely embarrassed by this conduct from fellow students, I’m also disappointed in this website for posting this story. This article portrays the entire student body of CSOL to be one big group of jackasses.
I promise you that the rest of us here at the law school are more disappointed with the actions of our classmates than you will ever know, but we will allow our administration to handle this matter internally (as they are set to do) and find a punishment that fits the crime.
I hope the general public reading this post will understand that the vast majority of us here at CSOL are hardworking and dedicated students that do not approve of this kind of conduct.
By RevengeIsLikeServingColdCuts on April 21st, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Maybe CSOL’s greedy founders will be making even more money once they own fitsnews after the libel lawsuit.
By Spittin' Image on April 21st, 2009 at 3:47 pm
The CSOL customers seem very upset that the diploma mill they use is being exposed for what it is. I bet this party was quite affair. Imagine being in a room where 53% of the people may pass the bar – how impressive.
By Powellj1 on April 21st, 2009 at 3:59 pm
There was not even a verbal altercation with a Judge’s spouse. That is all a complete lie!!!!!! I will gladly eat my words when someone can quote a judge or his/her spouse saying that there was any sort of confrontation. But I know that this will not happen. So I will continue to point out that Fits is printing lies!!!
By blahhhh on April 21st, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Nobody is accusing Will Folks of starting this rumor. Will Folks is being accused of bad journalism for posting false information. It sickens me to think of his bold face lies at the CSoL Law Republicans meeting. He obviously does not double check his sources and his words should not be taken seriously.
As for Spittin Image, why don’t you meet me on the corner of King and Mary at midnight. Coward.
By opinion on April 21st, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Mr. Folks, I believe that you owe an apology for your poor journalism. It probably will not happen and I’m satisfied with knowing that these lies will catch up with you at some point. You must be proud to have made such a fulfilling career for yourself.
By fitsnews on April 21st, 2009 at 5:13 pm
“Opinion,”
We are sorry you are so upset by all this. How’s that?
-FITS
By MC on April 21st, 2009 at 5:26 pm
First, your article is NOT journalism, and if you think it is, whichever school gave you a diploma should be burnt to the ground. Don’t you have any community pride? Don’t you have anything better to do than to defame a school that espouses community service and scholarship? Certainly the school is dealing with the unfortunate events in the best possible way. In the meantime, the community don’t need you tarnishing the reputation for the rest of the students and faculty who make the school successful. SHAME ON YOU! You must be a very unhappy person if you derive so much pleasure from creating scandal.
By CharlestonStudent on April 21st, 2009 at 5:28 pm
This rumor story is interesting, yet the school has apparently determined they are, in fact, rumors. That notwithstanding, FitsNews is not a news organization. Rather, it is a loosely formed blog that clearly
states it is biased. Thus, I see no harm in a gossip mill publishing gossip. I say keep up the good work,
FitsNews. The collective “you” have solidified yourself as one notch below thesuperficial.com.
By HonkyTonk on April 21st, 2009 at 5:30 pm
It is a question of gonads. Testies or ovaries, Folks? Reveal your sources. My money is on ovaries.
By WhoCares on April 21st, 2009 at 6:02 pm
who cares what this guy says people? hes only trying to get people to his website b/c no one ever looks at anything except when he trashes your school. take it for what it is: a blindly partisan, GIRLFRIEND BEATING, muckraker trying to stir the pot. i can’t believe i wasted the time navigating to this site and telling you all this…
By Interested Party on April 21st, 2009 at 6:08 pm
“Honky Tonk,”
Really?
- Interested Party
By soproudcsolgrad on April 21st, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Dear MC,
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, or links as the case may be. There do seem to be quite a few weak links in the CSOL chain. Perhaps instead of those mind numbingly absurd professionalism speeches, the admin should require students to attend basic etiquette and couth classes. The current reputation of our alma mater is not an esteemed one. It may be more beneficial for you to save the chastising for your classmates rather than a blog. As I said, don’t shoot the messenger for that which your own classmates perpetuate.
By Mab on April 21st, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Wow. SoProudCSOL Grad… that gave me chill bumps.
That is the spirit we all need to adopt. You claim that higher ground, Honey, because it is yours!!!
By CaptainAwesome on April 21st, 2009 at 9:31 pm
I am sorry to hear about the problems at CSOL. I do have to say something in defense of your school. I have been looking at Wake Forest, Emory, Cumberland, South Carolina, and CSOL. If I chose to go to law school in South Carolina, I will go to CSOL. The USuC law school looks like it was developed in the middle of the town dump. I will never understand why anyone would choose to live in that industrial wasteland when they could live in a beautiful city like Charleston. As for Columbia, if I owned Columbia and I owned Hell, I’d rent out Columbia and live in Hell. Law school in South Carolina is law school. There isn’t nor will there ever be anything prestigious about going to USuC. On the other hand, CSOL has a chance to have a great reputation. I’m sure that every new school has a couple of bumps in the road. USuC has had many of them. If you really want to know, just ask any Clemson graduate. I’m sure that they can give you the facts. CSOL is going to be fine.
By OutsideLookingIn on April 21st, 2009 at 11:45 pm
I was at the Barrister’s Ball in question and I must say that perhaps everyone here is missing the issue. The problem isn’t that the information got out, the problem is that it happened in the first place. It’s one thing to have pride in your school and want it to do well, it’s quite another to lambast a blogger for publishing information which is pretty much common knowledge around campus. Want to make a change? Don’t let something like this happen again. Maybe then we won’t be the laughing stock of the South Carolina Legal Community. Want to know the reason we don’t hear about USC Law Students pissing in otter’s tanks? Cause it doesn’t happen.
Grow up people.
By Curious on April 22nd, 2009 at 12:43 am
Is anyone going to name the spouse of the court of appeals judge who was involved? My money is on George Hearn since his wife (Kaye Hearn) is the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and is an adjunct professor at CSOL. Further, one of Judge Hearn’s law clerks (who couldn’t make it in private practice) is a professor at CSOL. Can anyone confirm??
By Gamecock07 on April 22nd, 2009 at 9:49 pm
CaptainAwesome,
I hate to tell you, but 4/5 of the city of Charleston makes Columbia look nice. They funnel the Yankee tourists to King, Meeting, the Market, and the Battery and the rest looks like Haiti. As for Columbia, it has its bad parts, but Shandon, Forest Acres, the Vista, Lake Carolina and Earlewood are some nice parts just to name a few. That’s what I don’t get about you Taters. You come here and complain. We know you don’t like Columbia, we know it doesn’t compare with the scenic beauty in Pickens County. It’s a city damnit!! Most cities in this country have nice areas and bad areas. Why do people live in Columbia? Maybe it’s because the State House is here, or because of USC, or because there are 2 different areas where there are several dozen bars, or maybe it’s because of all the pretty little sorority girls at USC, or maybe it’s because of the Med School, the Law School, the Business School, the International Business School, our Graduate programs in history and public administration, Lake Murray, Fort Jackson, or because they’re Gamecock fans in general. Maybe it’s because they prefer not to live in a town where there are less than 10 bars. Maybe it’s because they prefer not to live in a town surrounded by critters from foothills. Maybe it’s because they want to walk around and see some beautiful women, instead of 200 pounders in orange overalls. Maybe if you go to CSOL you can be one of the 40 percent of its graduates to not pass the bar, and hopefully when I’m finished with a deposition in Charleston one day, you can serve me that bourbon and ginger I order at a bar down there. Columbia doesn’t your obnoxious Clemson ass here in the first place. Until Clemson gets a law school, shut up and go back to what yall do best: making blue cheese and ice cream.