Charges filed in Tamassee incident

Over the weekend, Oconee sheriff’s officers filed a pair of charges against a 41-year old man who was wounded when he entered a home last week in the Tamassee Community. Bradley Payne, the man shot, has now been charged with assault and battery third degree and burglary second degree. According to authorities, the homeowner who shot Payne will not be charged as the result of an investigation that points to self defense. The Sheriff’s Office released the following statement: “The homeowner retrieved a pistol and yelled for Mr. Payne to not enter the home. Mr. Payne then jerked open the screen door and entered the home. The homeowner shot Mr. Payne in the hip after he was in the residence.”  According to Sheriff Mike Crenshaw, “South Carolina law is very clear in stating a man’s home is his castle. A homeowner has the right to protect themselves if they fear their life is in imminent danger.”