From Staff Reports

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Spartanburg County Councilman Monier Abusaft appeared in court on May 14 for a criminal motion hearing in an assault case against him that lasted nearly seven hours, but, as of the Upstate S.C. Daily Planet’s press deadline (early May 24) for this edition, the judge has not issued a decision. 

After what has been described as a “dramatic” hearing, the Upstate Post and Courier’s headline atop its May 18 story on the hearing stated: “‘I never kissed him; he kissed me:’ Spartanburg County councilmember testifies on assault charge.”

Also, following the hearing at the Spartanburg County Courthouse, “officials and court representatives announced that a decision has not been made,” Greenville television station FOX Carolina reported. “No future hearing date has been set, while the judge reviews the evidence to determine if the assault charge will be dismissed or sent to trial.”

Councilman Abusaft was charged with assault on Feb. 28, after which he was arrested in March on a charge of third-degree assault and battery by the USC Upstate Police Department.

AI Overview noted. “The man involved in the physical altercation with Spartanburg County Councilman Monier Abusaft in late February 2026 was local political activist and volunteer judge Antonio Tanner.” 

The March charge is the second in two years leveled against Abusaft, who owns and operates his own private practice, the Law Office of Mo Abusaft, focusing on criminal defense, personal injury and civil litigation. (He received his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School. Earlier, he graduated with honors as a member of Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor of arts in religion from Wofford College in 2011.)

In the previous assault and battery case that he faced, termed “the 2024-2025 Garbage Can Dispute” by AI Overview, Monier “was previously charged with third-degree assault and battery in 2025 stemming from an incident where he allegedly shoved a trash can into someone during an argument over blocked roadways in 2024. These charges were later dropped after a witness provided inconsistent statements.”

In the newest assault and battery case he is facing, Abusaft told Spartanburg television station WSPA (7NEWS) — in a story appearing May 14 — that the charge stems from an incident that occurred at USC Upstate’s University Readiness Center during a Black History Month event. 

To that end, FOX Carolina reported on May 13. “Upon arrival, the on-duty officer found two people involved in a physical and verbal altercation. The alleged victim (Antonio Tanner) says Abusaft assaulted and choked him.”

Further, FOX Carolina stated, “Abusaft claims the alleged victim (who also is black) used racial slurs and expletives and kissed him. His defense team argues he acted in self-defense under South Carolina’s Stand Your Ground law.

After the May 14 hearing, Abusaft told Greenville television station FOX Carolina, “You don’t get to put your hands on people. You don’t get to kiss other men, for whatever reason.”

FOX Carolina spoke with Abusaft in March, when, according to the TV station, he described the incident as follows:

“[The victim] was banging into me at a black history event at USC Upstate. I then grabbed him, got his hands off of me, and a group of people got in between us.”

During a bond hearing, Abusaft was given a $1,000 bond and was ordered not to contact the victim.

The May 14 hearing began at 10 a.m., when Abusaft asked the judge to dismiss the charge and also requested that the court review the evidence in the case.

“The hearing featured dramatic courtroom clashes, surveillance footage, and highly disputed testimony,” AI Overview noted.

Following are key aspects of the May 14 hearing:

• The altercation: Footage shows an argument erupting near a doorway where Abusaft is seen backing the alleged victim (Antonio Tanner) against a wall and lifting his feet off the ground. Abusaft claims Tanner grabbed and kissed him, while Tanner’s defense states Abusaft grabbed him by the neck.

• The witness stand: Abusaft’s defense controversially called Tanner to the stand during the hearing. The prosecution immediately objected, with  former city attorney Bob Coler noting how rare it is for the defense — in a non-homicide case— to put the victim on the stand.

• Fifth Amendment plea: Once Tanner was allowed to take the stand, he began answering questions before his own attorney stepped in and instructed him to plead the Fifth to avoid self-incrimination.

In other developments regarding Abusaft, immediately after posting bail following his March 2026 arrest on an assault charge, he announced his plans to run for a seat in the South Carolina Statehouse. To that end, he explicitly stated he was running for state representative for District 31.

Also, following his arrest in March, Abusaft publicly stated that he felt the assault incident was a “set up” and was politically motivated to interfere with his South Carolina Statehouse campaign.

Regarding the Feb. 28 confrontation itself, “Abusaft claims that the alleged victim used racial slurs against him and initiated physical contact by kissing him,” AI Overview stated. “The councilman has maintained that he acted entirely in self-defense.”

Abusaft is running to unseat long-time S.C. Rep. Rosalyn Henderson-Myers in the Democratic primary in June. The two have long been at odds — and Abusaft is suing Henderson-Myers for defamation.