Story perspectives

South Carolina Charges Three Men After Mace Accusations

By Drooid · Oct 14, 2026, 11:25 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Rep. Nancy Mace’s February 2025 accusations led South Carolina to charge three men.
John Douglas Osborne, 46, was charged with first-degree assault and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Brendan Patrick Bryant, 53, faced a voyeurism charge.
Eric Bernard Bowman, 46, faced voyeurism, obstruction of justice, and publishing a victim’s name charges.
In May 2026, an unidentified woman sued Bryant, Osborne and Bowman, alleging sexual assault while unconscious.

History

Historical Context

President Bill Clinton signed the Violence Against Women Act on September 13 1994, providing $1.6 billion and creating the DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women to aid sexual-assault prosecutions. The 2000 Supreme Court ruling United States v. Morrison narrowed its civil-suit power, yet the act’s framework underpinned South Carolina’s 2025 charges against John Douglas Osborne, Brendan Patrick Bryant and Eric Bernard Bowman following Nancy Mace’s accusations.

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Story summary

Rep. Nancy Mace’s February 2025 accusations led South Carolina to charge three men.
John Douglas Osborne, 46, was charged with first-degree assault and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Brendan Patrick Bryant, 53, faced a voyeurism charge.
Eric Bernard Bowman, 46, faced voyeurism, obstruction of justice, and publishing a victim’s name charges.
In May 2026, an unidentified woman sued Bryant, Osborne and Bowman, alleging sexual assault while unconscious.

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