GUILTY SC - Samantha Josephson, 21, Columbia, thought she was getting into Uber, 29 Mar 2019 *Arrest* #2

[cass523]

The Uber initiative includes an awareness campaign, new safety features in the Uber app and two campus ride programs, the company said in a press release.

To increase awareness about rider safety, Uber is sending an email to all United States-based customers with safety tips. The company is also giving a $100,000 to the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators to educate students about rider safety, the company said in the press release. The Medical University of South Carolina, USC and Clemson University are all accredited under this organization.

Within the app, Uber is adding a push notification to remind riders of how to check that they are getting into the correct car once they request a ride.

For USC in particular, Uber is working with the Columbia Police Department to create designated pickup zones in Five Points, the same area where Josephson was kidnapped. Uber drivers told The Greenville News that the area is often chaotic at night.

Uber is also adding a tool for universities to set up services for picking up students at night when other options, like campus buses, may not be operating.

USC president Harris Pastides, who has announced his retirement, will also be joining the company's Safety Advisory Board, according to Uber.

USC, Uber roll out new notifications as a safety measure following Samantha Josephson's death

 

[ilovechili]

The Uber initiative includes an awareness campaign, new safety features in the Uber app and two campus ride programs, the company said in a press release.

To increase awareness about rider safety, Uber is sending an email to all United States-based customers with safety tips. The company is also giving a $100,000 to the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators to educate students about rider safety, the company said in the press release. The Medical University of South Carolina, USC and Clemson University are all accredited under this organization.

Within the app, Uber is adding a push notification to remind riders of how to check that they are getting into the correct car once they request a ride.

For USC in particular, Uber is working with the Columbia Police Department to create designated pickup zones in Five Points, the same area where Josephson was kidnapped. Uber drivers told The Greenville News that the area is often chaotic at night.

Uber is also adding a tool for universities to set up services for picking up students at night when other options, like campus buses, may not be operating.

USC president Harris Pastides, who has announced his retirement, will also be joining the company's Safety Advisory Board, according to Uber.

USC, Uber roll out new notifications as a safety measure following Samantha Josephson's death

This is quite impressive as is Lyft's addressing of similar things.

Considering that this was not Uber's fault or its driver in any way that we know about, not once have they even went out of their way to point that out or defend themselves, but instead have went ahead and started implementing things to improve safety.

The fault lies with the perp(s) and no one else.

imo.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 20, 2019
After USC student’s death, Five Points bouncers hit streets to help patrons stay safe
This weekend, when throngs of University of South Carolina students leave Five Points bars at closing time, some serious folks will have their backs.

The 20 or so bars that are popular with the late night college crowd have agreed in writing to have their door staff on the streets, available to escort patrons to their ride-share and look out for signs of trouble.

The pledge comes after the horrific killing of USC co-ed Samantha Josephson on March 29. The effort was launched by FL, the head bouncer at Taneyhilll’s Group Therapy, which has operated in Five Points since 1978.

[...]

FL, over the course of a couple of nights last week, met with bar owners, managers and head doormen in the popular entertainment district and presented them with the pledge he had written himself.

All but one signed, but only because that owner is having it reviewed by his attorney, Taneyhill said. The State has reached out to that bar owner.

[...]

According to Ludwig’s pledge, for the first hour after closing time, all available door staff will be available to walk patrons to their cars.

“We will wait with you for your Uber or Lyft, and verify that the driver is the operator provided by the ride-share service,” the pledge says.

[...]

 

[dotr]

Another uber warning..
Unrelated to this case, but in Toronto an uber driver has just been arrested for several alleged sex assaults.
Although he was an actual uber driver, HE WAS NOT THE UBER THAT EACH OF THE VICTIMS HAD ORDERED.
Toronto, Uber driver arrested in connection with two sexual assaults

 

[ilovechili]

APR 20, 2019
After USC student’s death, Five Points bouncers hit streets to help patrons stay safe
This weekend, when throngs of University of South Carolina students leave Five Points bars at closing time, some serious folks will have their backs.

The 20 or so bars that are popular with the late night college crowd have agreed in writing to have their door staff on the streets, available to escort patrons to their ride-share and look out for signs of trouble.

The pledge comes after the horrific killing of USC co-ed Samantha Josephson on March 29. The effort was launched by FL, the head bouncer at Taneyhilll’s Group Therapy, which has operated in Five Points since 1978.

[...]

FL, over the course of a couple of nights last week, met with bar owners, managers and head doormen in the popular entertainment district and presented them with the pledge he had written himself.

All but one signed, but only because that owner is having it reviewed by his attorney, Taneyhill said. The State has reached out to that bar owner.

[...]

According to Ludwig’s pledge, for the first hour after closing time, all available door staff will be available to walk patrons to their cars.

“We will wait with you for your Uber or Lyft, and verify that the driver is the operator provided by the ride-share service,” the pledge says.

[...]

This is awesome! Nothing will bring her back but what a great idea to help keep others safe in the future.

 

[cass523]

I was watching my DVR recordings of Nightline and wanted to share this one. The Josephson's did an interview on April 17th, with Byron Pitts, if anyone would like to view it. It is more in depth than the one shown on GMA

 

[cujenn81]

It just occurred to me that had NR been stopped by LE an hour or two earlier that evening, his arrest might've been captured by LIVEPD. It's a very real possibility because he initially ran from LE, and they almost always cut to the pursuit of a fleeing suspect.

 

[Cfdm10199]

So, it seems Nate Rowland's hearing this morning has been pushed back indefinitely.

From the report, he should have had a bond hearing before today's court appearance, which he never had.

After he has the bond hearing, they will reschedule today's
proceedings for a later date.

So, we wait.
Nathaniel Rowland court date pushed back in slain UofSC student Samantha Josephson's case

 

[Herat]

So, it seems Nate Rowland's hearing this morning has been pushed back indefinitely.

From the report, he should have had a bond hearing before today's court appearance, which he never had.

After he has the bond hearing, they will reschedule today's
proceedings for a later date.

So, we wait.
Nathaniel Rowland court date pushed back in slain UofSC student Samantha Josephson's case

So what does this mean?

Do they not have enough to charge him with?

 

[DKMyers]

I think all this means is that the scheduled hearing did not follow proper procedure. He has to have a bond hearing before he can appear before a judge for whatever they called his appearance today. He has not yet had a bond hearing. That was probably something that the lowliest clerk in the prosecutor's office knew.

The odd thing is, I recall that he did, in fact, have a bond hearing. That was when Samantha Josephson's parents were allowed to make a statement. The mother was asking the judge not to release the defendant and give him another opportunity to harm an innocent person. Her words have been published several times. That statement would have made no sense unless offered to persuade the judge on bond. But in spite of that, a bond was not set.

 

[mks762]

I think all this means is that the scheduled hearing did not follow proper procedure. He has to have a bond hearing before he can appear before a judge for whatever they called his appearance today. He has not yet had a bond hearing. That was probably something that the lowliest clerk in the prosecutor's office knew.

The odd thing is, I recall that he did, in fact, have a bond hearing. That was when Samantha Josephson's parents were allowed to make a statement. The mother was asking the judge not to release the defendant and give him another opportunity to harm an innocent person. Her words have been published several times. That statement would have made no sense unless offered to persuade the judge on bond. But in spite of that, a bond was not set.

You are correct, at the bottom of this article Next hearing date for suspect in USC student's killing still unclear it says "He (NR) was set to appear at bond hearing on March 31, but waived his right to be there. 'Shame on him.' That's what Samantha's mother Marci Josephson had to say about Rowland's absence. 'We'd like him to be here, to see his evil face,' she continued. Marci, along with Samantha's father Seymour Josephson, both spoke at the hearing. They described their daughter as 'full of life,' saying the suspect has 'taken away a piece of our heart, soul, and life.'"

I'm so confused, can someone explain what's going on here?? Oh I hope nothing has happened, un-filed paperwork, human error, etc. that will let this monster back out on the streets.

 

[amateuragent]

Have the police or media said that the perp may have been doing this before? It just seems to me more than fate that he just happened to be there, just happened to have his doors unlocked, didn't tell the woman to get out of his car, just happened to decide to use the child locks, just happened to have a sharp weapon on him. I wonder if there had been a lot of rapes and/or assaults by a driver claiming to be the Uber or Lift driver in that area/state? Wasn't his car hanging around the bar area when the bars closed? It seems to me that he was looking for his next victim.
Reminds me of the perp who killed Morgan, the girl kicked out of a concert, and then years later, killed another young girl when he thought he could get away with it. He too was caught on camera or he probably would have gotten away with it.

I imagine the state is looking for more evidence to tie Nathaniel Rowland to other crimes with similar MO. This could not have been the first time this man committed this crime. He moved like someone with experience, or who had at least fantasized about committing this type of crime.

 

[amateuragent]

For what it's worth I took two Ubers last night and both times the driver said "are you ----?" as soon as I opened the door. It made me feel a lot more safe. Also both cars were black sedans, just like the one Samantha got into.
Also I think the QR code is a great idea!! Just put a little QR sticker on each backseat window. All this talk of rider safety, we gotta remember driver safety as well! Not just for scams like @Downtownbrown mentioned but personal safety as well. They are letting a stranger into their car, sure the driver is "in control" of the car but what happens if someone sees an Uber sticker pulled over waiting for someone then gets in their car and pulls a gun on them?? They need to know who they are picking up and have a record of it. Keep the doors locked until that QR code is scanned and confirmed to match.
I was looking for a story from Richmond VA where a female Uber driver was held at gunpoint and locked in her trunk and ended up finding like 4 different news articles of Uber drivers being assaulted in the last 6 months.

THE STICKER IS A GREAT IDEA FOR ALL INVOLVED

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 22, 2019
Man accused in Josephson case doesn't appear in court, but his barber does
According to the fifth circuit solicitor, Rowland wasn't required to show up to court for his first appearance, since he hadn't posted bail.

[...]

Rowland's preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 9th.

 

[Herat]

This is so weird.

First there was no mug shot of THIS arrest. Why not- were there obvious scratches or marks on his face that would indicate a huge struggle? Was this intentional to protect the alleged perp, so as not to "prejudice" a jury?

Then this mess up with the bail hearing.

Samantha's family must be furious over all this.

 

[Seattle1]

You are correct, at the bottom of this article Next hearing date for suspect in USC student's killing still unclear it says "He (NR) was set to appear at bond hearing on March 31, but waived his right to be there. 'Shame on him.' That's what Samantha's mother Marci Josephson had to say about Rowland's absence. 'We'd like him to be here, to see his evil face,' she continued. Marci, along with Samantha's father Seymour Josephson, both spoke at the hearing. They described their daughter as 'full of life,' saying the suspect has 'taken away a piece of our heart, soul, and life.'"

I'm so confused, can someone explain what's going on here?? Oh I hope nothing has happened, un-filed paperwork, human error, etc. that will let this monster back out on the streets.

Not sure why the circuit court held out on 4/22/19?

NR initial bond hearing on Sunday, 3/31/19-- where SJ's parent's appeared, and requested the judge deny bail or the posting of a bond. NR was not present, and bail not decided on Sunday. Instead the Judge said he'd let a circuit court judge make this decision. I believe the circuit court simply needed to formally deny bail this week.

Nonetheless, NR's preliminary hearing is now scheduled for May 9.

Man accused in Josephson case doesn't appear in court, but his barber does

 

[DKMyers]

As far as the mugshot, it's safe to assume a policy that if there is already a mugshot on file from within the past six months, or even a year, then there is no need for a new one. Would the police suppress a mug shot that is filled with telltale evidence, in order to protect the rights of the accused? An intriguing question. If his face is scratched or marked, as we are imagining, then this has been seen by many people who have processed the accused or otherwise been around him in jail. Am I naive to think this significant indication would have leaked out? Okay, who knows?

At this point, we know there is evidence to charge him with accessory before the fact of murder (his car), accessory after the fact of murder (intention to clean up the car, destroy evidence), and obstruction of justice. But we know of nothing tying him directly to the murder, e.g. DNA or fingerprints. My mind remains open to the possibility of a third person involved, and it could be that one who committed the murder. If so, then the brutal murderer is not in jail.

Ultimately, the delay probably has no strategic importance to either side. The same thing that was going to happen then will still happen later.

 

[KatzEye]

For those who have asked about NR's mugshot, or lack thereof, here's a little info on why you won't see mugshots in Richland County.

Charleston sheriff unplugs mugshot websites

Put simply, when the bathtub is overflowing, the first thing you do is turn off the faucet. That is exactly what Richland County did years ago. There is not a single woman arrested in Richland County on “Mugshot Hotties.” Or any of the other websites. Or men, either.

That is because in 2012 Richland County decided too many people were being hurt needlessly and stopped posting mugshots online. The basic arrest information is on the jail’s website, but without the photo it loses its commercial and voyeuristic value in our reality-show culture. If the media want a mugshot, they can get it through an e-mail system with the jail.

 

[amateuragent]

Thanks.

But really, I was trying to think of a scenario that answered some of our lingering questions...

If she's 5'7", 145lbs, and Nate is a scrawny 5'8", 155lbs... how did he get her into the trunk, or from the trunk to the spot where her body was found? I guess it's possible, but I would think that he'd be maxing out trying to carry her even with her voluntarily holding on around his neck. Trying to move a dead limp body is another matter (I've heard -- not from personal experience mind you...).

So I also wonder...she was found some distance from the road. This is a car, not a pickup truck. I need to go back and find some pics I saw upthread. Would it have been possible to drive the car back in there in the dark, confident it wouldn't get stuck? If not, was there a blood trail from dragging her? If not, was there rain in that 12 hour period that would wash blood away? If the car couldn't get back there, and there was no trail leading to her body (either from the road or from however far the car could get in there), and there was no rain to wash a blood trail away, then she had to have been carried. And it's hard to imagine Nate being able to do that with a limp dead body and stumbling with effort in the dark no less. So maybe it wasn't Nate?

Another one...why would he drive all the way to New Zion (we assume right after he killed her) to dump her body, but yet leave her blood visible in the back seat and her cell phone in the car, for another 25 hours, and end up being found in Columbia like that. Makes no sense unless he didn't know until towards the end of that period.

Why even take her there at all?? If you're not going to hide a body where you have control over it (under concrete in your basement), then I'd think you'd want it as far away as possible from anything having to do with you. Not lying 1.5 miles from your house above ground with spring approaching (warmer weather) only 50 feet or so off the road. That's not even as long as my driveway. Someone would be sure to find it, and someone did.

And while I have no desire to implicate anyone here - I think it's important to know who these turkey hunters are that went to high school with him (700 kids total for middle & high) and just happened to find her body 12 hours later in what's considered a remote area. In the "Law & Order SVU" episode version of this, that would be suspicious.

It also explains why he might have ran.

Just my thoughts on it.

Where was the blood found in the car? What makes you think she was in the trunk at all?

 

[amateuragent]

Again this is just playing "Devil's Advocate" so take it for only that -- I don't think it's coincidence either, but what if... the person that could have taken his keys was an acquaintance from high school and would have known the area well also? The turkey hunters that found her body just 12 hours later were acquaintances from high school as well--just coincidence? I'm sure LE probably looks into anyone that found a body to make sure they weren't the one that actually put it there.

In a small town. everyone is an acquaintance from High School...