NEWS
Armed standoff ends peacefully
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Also by Beth Mueller:
- Armed standoff ends peacefully (April 4, 2008)
- UW junior found dead in Doty Street home; killer still at large (April 3, 2008)
Related Stories:
- Gunman killed, 2 injured in Tennessee standoff (September 18, 2003)
- Shooting suspect in custody (March 12, 2003)
- Miller arrested in San Diego (September 28, 2007)
- Police arrest Jesse Miller (October 1, 2007)
by Beth Mueller
Friday, April 4, 2008
After a volatile standoff lasting throughout the day, police used armored vehicles and tear gas to bring a Richmond County man into custody Thursday evening.
No injuries resulted from the dispute near Viola — a small rural community about 70 miles from Madison — in which shots were exchanged on multiple occasions.
Authorities described the man in custody, 61-year-old Robert Bayliss, as “a person who had very strong anti-government attitudes and beliefs.”
The conflict began Monday afternoon when four officers attempted to deliver a lawsuit to evict Bayliss from his home and 18 acres of land for his failure to pay taxes back to 2001, according to Richland County counsel Benjamin Southwick.
The officers took rifle fire and quickly retreated.
They returned Thursday with an armored vehicle and SWAT personnel from the surrounding communities, again taking fire and retreating, according to a statement from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department.
Officers spent much of the day attempting to speak with Bayliss via bullhorn, as he had no telephone, according to sheriff’s Lt. Bob Frank.
Finally, they approached the house again, exchanging fire once more. Police deployed tear gas, and Bayliss surrendered. During the course of the dispute, a fire broke out.
According to Darin Gudgeon, emergency management director for Richland County, the cause of that fire is still under investigation, and it had been contained Thursday night.
Bayliss faces a charge of intentionally pointing a firearm at a law enforcement officer, and Frank said other charges could be filed. He said he did not know whether Bayliss had a lawyer.
According to the county treasurer’s office, Bayliss owes $5,647 in delinquent taxes and interest on the land and has not paid the taxes for seven years.
Bayliss was known in the community as “a person who had very strong anti-government attitudes and beliefs” and who would carry a rifle and show it, Southwick said.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 3:40am):
I fully support Mr. Bayliss. You never truly own anything in America anymore. You have to pay rent on your land or the government takes it for themselves. That's ll these property taxes are.
Glad no one was hurt, but he has every right to defend his property, violently if necessary. Even from the government.
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 4:35am):
The Associated Press has a template for these sorts of stories. Any tax protester gets called "anti-government", implying he is some sort of heretic who dares question the supremecy of the Almighty Government, our nations new god. Taxes are too high, and now with our floundering economy the government worshipping segment of society wants to raise taxes, as if taxes create prosperity.
Tom Sierak (April 4, 2008 @ 7:29am):
I feel for this guy, being treated this way for $5,600!!! And Barack Hussein Obama and Clinton(s) raise $30-40 MILLION in a MONTH to sell a line of garbage to a growing base of naive voters. Just knowing that politicians are completely immune from so much that they MANDATE against hard working citizens like Mr. Bayliss is outrageous.
With the price of EVERYTHING going up, it's no wonder more and more people are joining the political "hackdom" scene and getting union/entrenched gov't jobs at the local, state, and federal levels. Then they're able to become part of the system that is becoming nothing more than a huge good ol' boy network of favoritism from the bottom up. And guess who they extort the money from? You and me! What's that old saying? "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em?". Guess that's become ever more the case in the Socialist States of America.
I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of these types of stories as time goes on.
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 7:42am):
Good for Bayliss. This is exactly the reason to keep firearms, to protect yourself from the government.
I'm sorry he surrendered
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 7:58am):
Either by taxing you into submission or by Emminent Domain, the government will take of yours what they wish. I'm amazed they didn't find an excuse to shoot him. I'm also intrigued by the fact that in two of the four stories here on the topic, we had to repeat over and over that the gentleman had "very strong anti-government attitude". Trying to paint a picture? Sway an opinion?
ed gein (April 4, 2008 @ 8:08am):
this is what's wrong with this country. no one should loose their home for unpaid poperty taxes.
from whom did the government receive the right to remove (in this case forceably) people from their homes for unpaid property taxes? i know i didn't ascribe to them this right. i'm pretty sure no sane citizen did either.
if the government wants your property it can steal it via emminent domain tricks, or it can increase property taxes to the extent that no one but the super rich can afford to own private property.
is this where we are headed? all but the super rich being relegated to the slums?
the citizens of the 50 states need to band together to amend the state constitutions that all for property confiscation for failure to pay property tax such that no citizen can be forced off his property for unpaid back taxes. the state, and municipal governments can place liens on the property to be settled upon sale (inheritence excluded).
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 8:41am):
Thank God someone has the intestinal fortitude to stand up to this manipulative,, totalitarianistic capitalistic gov't. Freedoms, rights that are diminishing in the name of unjust, unfair, highway robbing taxation. A man's own home and land purchased as his own, the gov't in the name of taxation will rip it away, just as the gov't did with moonshine, now the gov't makes moonshine and sells in as the ABC in its regime of manipulation and control. Freedoms, rights, and the pursuit of happiness all unjustly and unfairly wiped away with the stroke of a pen and no citizenship censure. Where is the gov't OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE.!!!
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 9:16am):
Tear-gas and armoured vehicles are "peaceful" ?
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 10:15am):
They should have shot that kook thru the brain pan and done a service to the human race. Pay your taxes moron so the rest of us can have good roads, schools, fire protection etc. If not go live in some damn cave. Lock this loser up for life.
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 10:21am):
Another case of Government thugs taking what they want by force. Swat teams and armored vehicles for one 61 year old man? Sound a bit like excessive force? And everyone just stands by. Our freedom has been taxed away. We have no right to property any longer. Soon our bodies will belong to the Government under socialized medicine. What ever became of life liberty and the prusuit of happiness?
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 10:23am):
For some good insight on issues of this nature, find the "Supreme Law Library" home page and check out some its resources ...
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 10:43am):
If some money doesn't somehow make it in back here to the middle of nowhere, I guess I'll be facing the same choice someday.
I suggest that we get up a fund to pay the guys taxes for him and to keep them paid while he is in jail.
If he has a mortgage then I reckon we ought to pay that mortgage for him as well.
Maybe he is and maybe he ain't deserving, but someone of his heirs might well be.
Let's take care of this guy.
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 10:59am):
Freedom to do what in this world? To speak your opionon? Only if the goverment allows you to say it. You might be sued. You buy property so you can pay for what? I don't have a better life here in the good old USA, what did the for fathers fight for in the first place? Wasn't it because we were being taxed to death. Right now I work just to pay bills, I can't even plan a nice vacation. Our goverment seems to spend our hard labored money on so many none essenials, but yet for many we are just getting by. And guess what my taxes just seem to go up. Where is the free america I guess its only for people that come to america not for the ones who were born here. Can't seem to get ahead.
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 2:48pm):
I'm an anarchist and in part support this man, but individualist survivalism is just dumb. The government machinery can repress selectively, and one man can never stand up to an army. Organize, damnit!
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 3:38pm):
"And guess what my taxes just seem to go up. Where is the free america I guess its only for people that come to america not for the ones who were born here."
Your freedom was eroded incrementally, not just by the government but by misguided "patriotic-at-all-costs" types who excoriate those who see something wrong with our society and offer a way to mend it.
You know the types: "We-e-ell America is STILL the greatest nation on the Earth...and if you don't like it, you can leave it!"
(THOSE are the types that need the bullet through the brain pan so the rest of us can get our country back on track.)
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 4:12pm):
That's a lot of troops and firepower to get a senior citizen. What big strong heroes.
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 4:42pm):
Thanks again Mr. Policeman for helping destroy America you dimwitted fools! All you do is protect the bankers and the politicians and take orders. You facist pigs!
Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 6:44pm):
Most of you guys are off your rockers. It has nothing to do with an over-whelming government. If his house had been on fire you guys/gals would be whining that it took the FD too long and it was thier fault. Now that it is a story covering some guy who is lost, who decides that the men and woman serving his community dont want to be paid cause he is too cheap to pay his taxes?
Just to enlighten to pathetically ignorant public responding to this. Land taxes do not go to the US Govt, they go to the local government. How do you think we pay for schools? Just about anywhere you live the majority of your land/house taxes go to the school disctrict you live in. While other parts go to the city for useless stuff like police, fire fighters etc.
As for the retard that decided to shoot at a public servant for doing his job, maybe they should have shot him; they had the right. The unfortunate part is the deputy that tried to serve the warrant probably had a wife and kids and this no good moron tried to kill him for $5,600!!!!!!!!!
So the next time you have to call 911 and that officer shows up ASAP to protect you...remember that is your taxes.
Jim Hayworth (April 5, 2008 @ 7:39am):
As you can see by the quote at the bottom, some people speak thru their ass. First of all Mr. of Mrs.Anonymous,if you had any knowledge other than how to open a beer can with your teeth, you would know that your taxes do not go to build roads. The U.S. went bankrupt in 1933 (Google HJR 192) and all this money goes to these foreign bankers, because we are in a receivership status. That is why you pay any taxes, including income tax. If you read the tax codes, you will find that only Corporations are liable for the Income Tax, but thru contracts you have signed including S.S., drivers License and others, you have agreed that you are a U.S. person which under USC 11, 101, says you are a corporation, therefore you have agreed to be liable for these taxes. Now Mr.Anonymous, why should anyone be considered a corporation when a corporation is a fictitious entity. It can't breath, nor does it have a heartbeat. But you go on paying your taxes, because from your comment, I would say that definition fits you just right.
"Anonymous (April 4, 2008 @ 10:15am):
They should have shot that kook thru the brain pan and done a service to the human race. Pay your taxes moron so the rest of us can have good roads, schools, fire protection etc. If not go live in some damn cave. Lock this loser up for life"
Anonymous (April 6, 2008 @ 2:35am):
Common sense says we need to pay taxes so that we have roads, police and fire protection, a public education system, national defense, a monetary system, our representative government, and perhaps the most successful programs - Social Security and Medicaid.
If you don't want to pay your taxes, move to Costa Rica or some other place where they don't have taxes. There's a reason that Ron Paul is the darling of the KKK -- anarchists hate the government and they hate America
Anonymous (April 7, 2008 @ 9:57am):
there is a lot of truth behind the facts that there have been laws and rules passed that have burdened the American public, but I take offense to anyone that calls law enforcement officers facist pigs! And if you want to talk peaceful then explain to me why he felt it necessary to fire upon law enforcement when they were trying to approach the individual in a peaceful manner on Monday. Thursday's action was necessary because of Mr. Bayliss's decisions not law enforcement's decisions! He fired first with the intention of killing those WHO DO PROTECT AND SERVE. They could have killed him, but chose to end the situation with no loss of life. Quit talking BS until you walk a day in the shoes of those put it on the line EVERYDAY!
Thomas Egleston (April 8, 2008 @ 3:01pm):
This has more to do with immenant domain than taxes. $5,000? Come on, this police action cost more than that! A lot more. Can you say NAFTA Super Highway? This will go on all the time soon whether you owe anything or not. Say hello to the Police State, New World Order, North American Union, and kiss the USA goodye or get off your asses and do something now before it's too late!
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