Robert Bayliss, a rural Viola man facing numerous felony charges as a result of an armed standoff with deputies two weeks ago refused the aid of a public defender, Thursday in Richland County Circuit Court.

District Attorney Andrew Sharp then agreed to Bayliss’ request that a can-full of silver coins confiscated from his truck be returned so he could hire a lawyer.

“He had second thoughts about being represented by the state public defender’s office,” said Sharp.

Sharp said Bayliss estimated the silver coins, more than 400, to be worth about $8,000. With no bail set, Bayliss returned to his jail cell Thursday and a status hearing was set for April 23.

Bayliss, 60, faces two attempted first degree intentional homicide charges and seven additional accusations stemming from a confrontation with authorities over the course of several days in the first week of April at his former property on 18 wooded acres near Viola.

The county had taken over the parcel, owned by Bayliss since 1974, because property taxes had not been paid in several years, and deputies were shot at when they tried to serve legal papers.

Later, when the deputies returned with reinforcements, an arrest warrant and armored vehicles, they were greeted with shots from a high-powered rifle. Shots were exchanged and Bayliss was subdued and arrested after tear gas was shot into his house, which subsequently, and so far inexplicably, burned down.

No one was injured in the standoff, though property was destroyed and the bullet-marked armored cars were also damaged.

Vernon County sheriff Gene Cary provided some insight into the event, defending the actions required to arrest Bayliss, last week while speaking at the county’s law enforcement meeting.

The propety involved is right on the border beween Richland and Vernon counties. “People are going to second guess this operation and that’s fine,” said Cary. “People will say ‘Well why didn’t you wait for him to come out?’ We know for a fact he didn’t come out of that property for almost five months. So, you can’t leave him... if he is shooting at armed police officers,” he said. “So, if you are going to wait him out you would have to cover all four corners, 24 hours a day, seven days a week just to protect the public. Then look at your cost.”

Cary said law enforcement did everything possible to get Bayliss to come out peacefully but he made it clear he was not going to cooperate.

“There are those who say he was a good guy and maybe he was,” said Cary “But he was not a good guy last week. He didn’t shoot at the tires of these Bearcats (armored cars), he shot at the windows.”

Cary said they are still investigating how the fire started in the house since the tear gas canisters used were of a type that should not cause a fire. The Justice Department confirmed Thursday it is involved in the followup investigation of the incident.