BEAUFORT COUNTY, SC () – Charges against four people arrested for mask violations during the “No Kings” rallies on Hilton Head Island and Bluffton have been dropped

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department say the arrests have been “administratively dismissed”.

Attorney Ben Shelton who represents Douglas Edwards, one of two people arrested at the Hilton Head Island rally, says the arrests lacked probable cause and did not have warrants to make them valid.

“Deputies were required to have a Magistrate find that probably cause existed for the arrests and they not only failed to meet that fundamental hurdle, but they also failed to even attempt to obtain a warrant,” said Shelton.

Four people in all were arrested at the “No Kings’ rallies in June for violating the County’s mask policy. Those arrested include the 80-year-old Edwards, who after being handcuffed and booked, had to spend that night in the Beaufort County Jail.

Shelton made this statement to

“Whether you agree with him or not, my client was exercising his 1st Amendment rights, as every citizen of this State and Country has the right to do. Certainly, a veteran like Mr. Edwards holds that right. The deputies abused their authority and unlawfully arrested and booked Mr. Edwards overnight without a required warrant or indictment. It was a facially unlawful arrest and detention. Thankfully, Mr. Edwards fully complied with officers and the episode did not turn violent. I hope the deputies at issue have learned from this mistake and will refrain from making decisions on a fire, aim, point basis in the future.”

Beaufort County Sheriff’s wants to remind the public that South Carolina state statue 16-7-110 prohibits the wearing of a mask or other devise which conceals his identity.

The penalty for such is a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or imprisonment not to exceed twelve months.