Post by pelicanguy on Apr 2, 2007 15:43:20 GMT -5
Judge Temporarily Bars County From Closing 5 Clubs
Washington Post Staff
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...033002276.html
A Prince George's County judge issued a temporary restraining order yesterday barring the county from closing five nightclubs that County Executive Jack B. Johnson shut down because he says they have become magnets for violent crime.
Prince George's Circuit Judge Thomas P. Smith said county officials had not adequately warned club owners and failed to give specific grounds for the closures.
"Each of the notices to each of the businesses in question says the same thing. It doesn't tell a business what it can do or cannot do," Smith said.
Smith said the five clubs and bars -- Tick Tock, Millenium and Cuzco in the Hyattsville area, Crossroads in Bladensburg and Le Pearl in Capitol Heights can remain open through the weekend. On Monday, the judge will review the club owners' request to permanently block the county's action.
Three other clubs closed by Johnson on Thursday -- CFE and Knights of Columbus in Forestville and Tradewinds in Camp Springs -- remain shut. Another establishment under his closure order, Classics III in Camp Springs, is open under a stay granted in September after the owner's challenge in federal court of new county restrictions on strip clubs.
After the hearing, Le Pearl manager Eric Pickens stood outside the courthouse holding a sign proclaiming "Le Pearl Ballroom is open!" Pickens said the club has been rented this weekend by a sorority group holding a breakfast and by several church groups. "I'm pretty ecstatic those events will go ahead," he said.
County Public Safety Director Vernon Herron said he was disappointed in the ruling, adding that county attorneys will vigorously resist attempts to bar the closings permanently.
The reprieve for the clubs ratcheted up tensions between county officials and nightclub owners. The owners, music promoters, clubgoers and go-go music fans across Prince George's expressed outrage about the closures, which they said are a misguided attempt to shift the blame for a recent surge in violence onto clubs.
During an impromptu meeting attended by more than 500 people Thursday night, dozens vowed to protest at the County Council's regular meeting Tuesday.
"The violence is not coming from the go-gos. It's coming from Jack Johnson not doing his job," said Ronald Moten, co-founder of Peaceholics, a group that works closely with club promoters and owners to solve disputes among urban youth peacefully.
Johnson (D) announced the suspension of use and occupancy permits for the nine nightclubs Thursday after a string of homicides that have fueled public alarm. Starting March 16, the county had 11 homicides in 11 days. Concerned community activists and church pastors have called for more action against the violence.
Apostle Betty Peebles, senior pastor of the Jericho City of Praise church, said more than 1,000 people attended a special service at which prayers and programs were offered to young people to help avoid dangerous situations. "Eleven people being killed in 11 days -- this is a time to pray for our young people," Peebles said.
Johnson ordered the club closings under a law approved unanimously by the County Council in June. It allows county authorities to shutter any business they believe poses "an imminent danger and threat to the health, safety and welfare of the public." It also lets authorities immediately close down an establishment operating without a proper permit or a place where an activity is occurring that does not match information on the business's permit.
"We're not going to tolerate the disorder, the violence, the shootings, the fighting and all of the other negative aspects of these clubs," Johnson said Thursday.
The move led to tense scenes Thursday night at clubs across the county as a task force of county police officers, code and fire inspectors, and other officials descended on several of the nine clubs. At CFE, more than 150 club supporters shouted angry comments as they squared off with county task force members at the club's entrance.
Fresh from the protest meeting next door, the club supporters briefly blocked the entrance. Tensions dissolved quickly after CFE security guards and club owners urged the crowd to disperse. Still, owners said they were stung by the surprise raid.
"It's just so disturbing to know that something like that -- without any prior warning, with no due process -- can happen where they close down your club," said Bernida Williams, CFE's co-owner. "We've taken extra precautions here at this particular establishment to enhance security in order to dissuade this kind of misbehavior."
Jim Bale, an attorney for CFE and Classics III, said he planned to file motions in federal and local courts aimed at barring the action.
Vinny "Assassin" Johnson, a male stripper who says he dances every night at Prince George's clubs, said criminals will find other places to cause trouble. "The killings at the go-gos are going to go down, but what about the other crimes?" asked Johnson, 31, sitting in his car Thursday night outside the Classics club.
The club owners' point of view found some sympathy among county residents not employed by clubs.
"The violence will continue because the knuckleheads who used to go to the clubs will find somewhere else to hang out," said Charles Sanders, a 24-year-old barber in Largo.
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Washington Post Staff
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...033002276.html
A Prince George's County judge issued a temporary restraining order yesterday barring the county from closing five nightclubs that County Executive Jack B. Johnson shut down because he says they have become magnets for violent crime.
Prince George's Circuit Judge Thomas P. Smith said county officials had not adequately warned club owners and failed to give specific grounds for the closures.
"Each of the notices to each of the businesses in question says the same thing. It doesn't tell a business what it can do or cannot do," Smith said.
Smith said the five clubs and bars -- Tick Tock, Millenium and Cuzco in the Hyattsville area, Crossroads in Bladensburg and Le Pearl in Capitol Heights can remain open through the weekend. On Monday, the judge will review the club owners' request to permanently block the county's action.
Three other clubs closed by Johnson on Thursday -- CFE and Knights of Columbus in Forestville and Tradewinds in Camp Springs -- remain shut. Another establishment under his closure order, Classics III in Camp Springs, is open under a stay granted in September after the owner's challenge in federal court of new county restrictions on strip clubs.
After the hearing, Le Pearl manager Eric Pickens stood outside the courthouse holding a sign proclaiming "Le Pearl Ballroom is open!" Pickens said the club has been rented this weekend by a sorority group holding a breakfast and by several church groups. "I'm pretty ecstatic those events will go ahead," he said.
County Public Safety Director Vernon Herron said he was disappointed in the ruling, adding that county attorneys will vigorously resist attempts to bar the closings permanently.
The reprieve for the clubs ratcheted up tensions between county officials and nightclub owners. The owners, music promoters, clubgoers and go-go music fans across Prince George's expressed outrage about the closures, which they said are a misguided attempt to shift the blame for a recent surge in violence onto clubs.
During an impromptu meeting attended by more than 500 people Thursday night, dozens vowed to protest at the County Council's regular meeting Tuesday.
"The violence is not coming from the go-gos. It's coming from Jack Johnson not doing his job," said Ronald Moten, co-founder of Peaceholics, a group that works closely with club promoters and owners to solve disputes among urban youth peacefully.
Johnson (D) announced the suspension of use and occupancy permits for the nine nightclubs Thursday after a string of homicides that have fueled public alarm. Starting March 16, the county had 11 homicides in 11 days. Concerned community activists and church pastors have called for more action against the violence.
Apostle Betty Peebles, senior pastor of the Jericho City of Praise church, said more than 1,000 people attended a special service at which prayers and programs were offered to young people to help avoid dangerous situations. "Eleven people being killed in 11 days -- this is a time to pray for our young people," Peebles said.
Johnson ordered the club closings under a law approved unanimously by the County Council in June. It allows county authorities to shutter any business they believe poses "an imminent danger and threat to the health, safety and welfare of the public." It also lets authorities immediately close down an establishment operating without a proper permit or a place where an activity is occurring that does not match information on the business's permit.
"We're not going to tolerate the disorder, the violence, the shootings, the fighting and all of the other negative aspects of these clubs," Johnson said Thursday.
The move led to tense scenes Thursday night at clubs across the county as a task force of county police officers, code and fire inspectors, and other officials descended on several of the nine clubs. At CFE, more than 150 club supporters shouted angry comments as they squared off with county task force members at the club's entrance.
Fresh from the protest meeting next door, the club supporters briefly blocked the entrance. Tensions dissolved quickly after CFE security guards and club owners urged the crowd to disperse. Still, owners said they were stung by the surprise raid.
"It's just so disturbing to know that something like that -- without any prior warning, with no due process -- can happen where they close down your club," said Bernida Williams, CFE's co-owner. "We've taken extra precautions here at this particular establishment to enhance security in order to dissuade this kind of misbehavior."
Jim Bale, an attorney for CFE and Classics III, said he planned to file motions in federal and local courts aimed at barring the action.
Vinny "Assassin" Johnson, a male stripper who says he dances every night at Prince George's clubs, said criminals will find other places to cause trouble. "The killings at the go-gos are going to go down, but what about the other crimes?" asked Johnson, 31, sitting in his car Thursday night outside the Classics club.
The club owners' point of view found some sympathy among county residents not employed by clubs.
"The violence will continue because the knuckleheads who used to go to the clubs will find somewhere else to hang out," said Charles Sanders, a 24-year-old barber in Largo.
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