Posted on 01/04/2005 8:39:52 PM PST by BerniesFriend
NAACP calls for federal investigation into death of black student at Bourbon Street bar 1/4/2005, 5:12 p.m. CT By DOUG SIMPSON The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans' district attorney said he planned a "complete and thorough" grand jury investigation into a black college students death following a New Year's Eve scuffle with white bouncers at a French Quarter karaoke bar. District Attorney Eddie Jordan made the announcement after the NAACP called for investigations by local prosecutors and by the U.S. Justice Department. U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said his office has discussed the matter with the FBI and the Justice Department's civil rights division. A decision had not yet been made on whether to start a formal investigation. No arrests have been made and an autopsy was inconclusive in the Dec. 31 death of Levon Jones, a senior at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga. Jones died after a fight with bouncers outside Razzoo Club and Patio on Bourbon Street. New Orleans police said the fight started after a worker at the nightclub denied entrance to one of Jones' friends because his clothing did not meet the dress code.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
Where I am no fan of the naacp..I was shocked to read that this lawyer says the bouncers at this bar routinely KILL people professionally and responsibly..would hate to see how they treat people they DON'T like..jeez..
About three years ago I was taking pictures in downtown Portland. One of them included a bouncer in front of a club. (For photo enthusiasts, it was an available light photo, shot at night, from 30 feet away with a 50mm lens. The bouncers face would definately not be visible, and even his body might be hard to make out). He walked over to me and told me to stop taking pictures. I told him that I was well within my legal rights to take all the pictures I wanted to on a public sidewalkd. He then said if I took another picture he would kick my ass. I believed him. I called the club the next day at 6:00 and got the manager. I explained what had happened. I told him that he was putting his license at risk and that he should instruct his employees to leave people not attempting to enter his club alone. I told him that if I had any other contact with this individual I would be contacting both the police and my lawyer. Never saw that bouncer out front again.
Thats idiotic. YOu don't have the right to kill someone for being "unruly and aggressive". And our military and police are trained professionals with the authority to protect the lives of themselves and others from death. They aren't trying to make sure someone is wearing the proper sneakers.
Everyone has a right to self defense.
How many FReepers do you think would still be around if what you said was true? Bouncers aren't policemen, as much as some may want to be!
Thanks Max..great response..
The greatest jazz bass player of all time, Jaco Pastorius, was killed by a bouncer such as the one described here. What a tragic loss to music...
With all due respect, and with more then a few years clubbing and barhopping under my belt.
I can't imagine any bouncer considering it a normal part of his job to occasionaly kill somone. Its honestly quite rare and not very likely to happen.
That said, the facts of this case have not come out, and its not clear what happened. The bouncers could have started, the kids could have started, and another amount of scenarios. From reading the article, I didn't find anything about anyone else being killed previously at this establishment.
Ok..the dead person was choked to death..that means he went limp before he lost his life..did not any of the "scared bouncers" realize that..he passed out..I know bouncers are not the brightest creatures walking on two legs..but if their subject is limp..shouldnt' they let go of their neck?????????????
I once saw this documentary about a bouncer that kills people. He was a bouncer from New York. He got hired by a guy in Missouri to get control of his club in Missouri called the road house. Man, the place was rough. This guy kicked a** left and right. Anyway, it turns out that the whole town was run by this one a-hole who extorted all the businesses. Meanwhile the bouncer started banging the town's hot doctor. The bouncer was a zen-karate bouncer who lived in someone's barn. Anyway, by the end of the documentary he killed one dude, and otherwise kicked a** all over the place. He was one hell of a bouncer. Oh wait, that was a movie, with Patrick Swayze.
LOL!
"Oh wait, that was a movie, with Patrick Swayze."
Proof that gays can be bouncers too!
If you're stupid enough to frequent bars that have to employ hired goons to control their customers, you deserve what you get.
"I know bouncers are not the brightest creatures walking on two legs..but if their subject is limp"
Cops choke lots of folks to death too.
The facts aren't out yet on the case, so we'll see, but by your standard every bar brawl between a drunk college kid and an overzealous bouncer which results with a death is justified. Oh and professional.
I can see your not big on clubs, or any kind of drinking establishment with people under 27 or most drinking establishments that have a lot of customers and get a lot of business.
In a bar with alot of people, all it takes is one knuckle head to start a fight before a brawl breaks out. The ratio of knuckleheads to good decent people isn't large enough, hence the need for bouncers. Though, in some places, the bouncers are strictly there to ID people outside, rather then overwhelm the bartender with hundreds of ID to constantly check and slowing them down.
Personally, if somone goes to a bar that doesn't have bouncers, its a good sign the place is dead or just an old folks home with booze.
Wow, looks like the NAACP has this one right.
I can show you biker bars that don't have bouncers.
=== Wow, looks like the NAACP has this one right.
Perhaps.
But there's a reason a good share of the Quarter closes shop during the weekend of the Southern-Grambling game.
The destruction of property, crime and havoc associated with these fans over the years has caused many not to even risk this sort of unfortunate incident.
If the NAACP wishes to call that "racist," perhaps they could explain why no other annual match taking place in the city has earned itself such a heinous reputation.
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