South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace was denied entry to a Horry County courtroom Tuesday during a Stand Your Ground hearing for the 2023 shooting death of Scott Spivey. Mace arrived at 2:15 p.m. but was turned away because the judge had closed the courtroom doors after resuming from lunch break.

Mace livestreamed her frustration in the hallway, arguing that as a public hearing, citizens should be allowed to attend. She was eventually granted entry during a break at 2:30 p.m. The hearing involves Weldon Boyd and Kenneth Williams, who face a wrongful death lawsuit after fatally shooting Spivey, a 33-year-old from North Carolina, following a nine-mile chase on September 9, 2023.

The case has become politically charged, with Mace criticizing Attorney General Alan Wilson for his handling of the investigation. Wilson, also running for governor, previously determined the shooting was self-defense under South Carolina's Stand Your Ground law, though evidence from the civil case has raised questions about that finding. The hearing continues Wednesday.