All ages: Graham considering "emergency legislation

Minors being allowed to go to shows on a regular basis may be in jepordy. A minor patron was shot at the former club 1919 (across from DC9)last night. Looks like he'll push for no minors in establishments with liquor licences. If this went through, I'm sure we'd get an exemption for something like Fall Out Boy, but at what cost?

NBC4

at what cost? i reckon the fact that fall out boy is playing is the cost. i'm already cringing knowing they'll be playing within a hundred or so miles of me.

wow, talk about blame the victim!

i'm surprised there isn't more talk about this … what's the implication of this "emergency legislation" for places like black cat and 930?

Washington Post has an article up about this as well. Seems like this could be a problem for other clubs.

Actually it was already acted on. My only problems with this is that I've seen far too many police officers "moonlighting" at clubs wearing their uniform and even ones just on duty spending more time flirting and being smooth with the ladies than actually patrolling. I replied to Jim Graham about this and he even mentioned that policing has been an issue as well.

The other problem is that if they have problems with minors in bars, then places like 930 Club and Black Cat could be in jeopardy if they do away with all ages. I don't think that is the case with this and the problem was they had live entertainment without that type of license.

MindCage
Mindless Faith
Deep6 Productions


From Graham:

Dear Friends:

Chief Lanier is acting today, under powers given her in 2005 by the DC
Council, to close a nightclub at 1919 9th Street, which was the site of
a homicide last night. Under the law, the MPD Chief can in an emergency
such as this close a liquor establishment for up to 72 hours. Chief
tells me that this bar will be closed.

At about 2:30 AM, a 17 year old girl was shot dead at Smarta Broadway,
on the second floor.

According to government information to me, a young lady was put out of
the club for smoking marijuana. It appears as though she then returned
with a male friend, who was armed with a gun.

The male friend reportedly had a scuffle with the bouncers in an effort
to get into the club. During that scuffle, the male friend's gun went
off killing the young girl. The killer fled.

I am told that the bar, which is licensed as a night club, had a band
that may have been playing Go Go.

To their credit, the Ethiopian businesses have hired cost reimbursable
officers for this block of 9th Street. They were on duty last night, but
at the time of the homicide, they were reportedly making an arrest.
There was strong police deployment in the U Street area, though I am
also told they had a very busy night.

I support Chief Lanier's action, which at this very moment is being
prepared by Commander McCoy.

I am also troubled that DC law permits the presence of a minor in a
nightclub. (Of course, the consumption of alcohol by minors is
prohibited, and we have a strong DC program on that.) But the current
DC law prohibits the presence of minors ONLY in liquor stores during
school hours. I will be considering emergency legislation on this
subject relating to night clubs and perhaps other alcohol establishments
for the next council session. I am pleased to state that I was the
author of the law strengthening the Police Chief's emergency closure
powers. And that came from the violent U Street clubs that we
closed…Kili's, Club U and Between Friends, none of which are operating
today.

This is the best information I have at this hour.

Our sympathies go out to the family of the young victim, and we do
encourage those who have intelligence on this to call police at
727-9099.

Sincerely, Councilmember Jim Graham

I am told that the bar, which is licensed as a night club, had a band
that may have been playing Go Go.

I'm sorry, but that sentence made me laugh.

MindCage… not quite sure what you meant by "Actually it was already acted on."

The club in question has been closed, but Graham contemplating–and might end up introducing–"emergency legislation."

Contact info on Jim Graham's website: http://www.grahamwone.com/contacts.html

(Note that Jim Graham's e-mail address appears at the very bottom of that page.)

As I've always said, all shows 18+ and nonsmoking would be great!

I heard a piece on WTOP Sat that said the club was closed because it violated the curfew law for allowing the person in… To have been admitted they would had to been in procession of a note indicated they were allowed to be there when they were.

if they have hearings on this issue, i wonder if the famous co-owner of the Black Cat will be on hand to testify against it :D

i could see this whole issue erupting with a lot of simmering racial tension in the neighborhood

correct me if i'm wrong, but most (all?) of these outbursts of club violence that are leading to this "emergency legislation" have occurred in clubs that cater to predominantly black customers, many of them go-go clubs … if/when they try to pass legislation like this, i could see rock clubs like 930 and BC (that cater to a predominantly white customer base in a traditionally black neighborhood) arguing that they should be excluded because they haven't had serious violence issues in their clubs and take necessary security measures to maintain safety

maybe i'm overstating things, but i could see a lot of simmering frustration with gentrification and the like spilling over at any kind of public hearing on this issue

Curfew laws that force underagers out by 11. Alot of other cities have that and it works just fine.

And the rest of us would benefit by not having to worry about catching the metro on weeknights.

While it is sad that this happened, it seems that Graham is more concerned that an underage kid was shot, than the fact that a shooting occurred in the first place. Taking kids out of venues where alcohol is served isn't going to prevent shootings. So what's next, will he introduce legislation to bar the underage from other"adult situations" where alchol is served: sporting events, restaurants?

Based on his logic, than we should also keep anyone under 17 out of the schools, considering all of the shootings, stabbings, etc., that go on there. Trust me, from one who has been there and knows, many of them are never brought to the public's attention.

Graham is being a total politician… going against the non-voters (teens) to score points with the voters by looking like he is taking strong action, while meanwhile nobody is any safer than they were before.

FUCK…

Okay. Heard about the shooting - yes, my mom was freaking out, and yes, this was bad timing because I am supposed to go to a show at the Black Cat this weekend… She told me to come back to her later in the week or it would be a flat out no. I'm very concerned about the whole situation with the violence, obviously, because I started going to shows in DC when I was 12, it is a big part of my life, and frankly it worries me when my parents are RIGHTFULLY concerned about my safety (in certain situations).

But no offense to Graham…I appreciate the concern…yes, it is sickening that a 17 year old girl was shot.
What I'm getting at though, is what will keeping minors out of the clubs change for the shooter? Okay, if there's no 17 year old to shoot, what will keep them from shooting a 21 year old? Is that not similarly disturbing?
If legislators truly wanted to change this, they'd work on more gun control and demand more patrolling of the people entering and exiting the clubs. And who even knows if that would work.

There are plenty of 17 year olds in DC who live in even more violent areas and who experience this on a daily basis. Keeping them out of the clubs will NOT stop the violence. And furthermore, shielding them from situations like this (where the girl was also at fault for bringing illegal substance into an establishment) will only breed ignorance. If they really want to fix this, they need to focus efforts on the other aspects of the shooting.


…And I'd really hope they don't drag the 9:30 or the Cat into this (but if they go all out, they will) because they don't have problems and they don't need to start. And they remain safe establishments for minors either because a) they have really good security and check bags upon entrance, or b) we are entirely fucked up culturally.

Betty, the girl who was killed didn't bring any illegal substances to the club from what I've read. She was just a bystander.

Actually, from what I've read, she was shot by the guy she brought back to the club after she was kicked out for smoking weed. This was a teen "go-go" event with a cash bar.


Graham is holding a "round table" this Thursday for those interested about minors in clubs and wanting to voice your opinions on the subject matter.

"On Thursday, January 25, 2007, at 2:00 p.m., I will hold a roundtable to
discuss the current D.C. law that permits minors and underage persons in
district nightclubs and taverns, despite the fact that consumption of
alcohol by minors is prohibited. Current DC law ONLY prohibits the presence
of minors in liquor stores during school hours.

The roundtable will be held at the Council Chamber of the John A. Wilson
Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20004."

MindCage
Mindless Faith
Deep6 Productions

This whole situation sounds fucked up. To me, it didn't sound like this was alcohol related, but it was drug related. I agree with the fear of what stops a shooter from getting someone else.

If the 9:30 club ever gets dragged into this, I'll gladly testify about how they're safe for minors. I grew up in Western Maryland. I am from a small town. I've been coming to the club since I was 13 years old. (i'm 21 now by the way) My parents would not have taken my sister and me here (which is a 3 hour drive from their house) if they felt it was unsafe.

Might I add that my mother is a social worker and was very overprotective of me and my sister. So for her to let us go to shows at the club with friends when I was in high school was a pretty huge deal. She never said no to me going to a show at the 930 club. But when it came to Nation, she was a bit different. In fact, I only went to four shows there and that was after high school, because I was 18 or older.

The Black Cat and 9:30 club are positive places for teens. I couldn't imagine high school without going to shows at either place.

I think the issue lies with kids not being raised with manners and parents who don't seem to know what their kids are doing when they go out. Also, I'd like to know what on earth the security/door staff at that club were thinking. I mean if I were security, I would have called the cops and waited for them to pick her up.

I once saw this girl being arrested for underage drinking here at the 930 club. I was walking into the club right as someone from door staff was escorting this girl to a DC police car, which I felt was pretty appropriate.