Downtown St. Louis, Mo. (KTVI-FOX2now.com)—
A review of club lure's liquor license, took place in St. Louis Friday. Shootings and other violence in the area near the nightclub have the bar under fire. The review hearing started this morning. We heard testimony from officers then cross-examination from lures defense team. But the true fireworks flew when the city opened the floor up to residents and their opinions on the club."We ran into someone actually inside our lobby. He was on his cell phone." Earl Westfall is about to describe an encounter with a man in the lobby of lure nightclub. Westfall lives above lure. Because of stories like what you are about to hear, lure is having its liquor license reviewed. "He actually stepped out the back door," Westfall remembered. "We closed the door on him. Our resident door actually locks when you close it. This guy was furious. He cursed at my girlfriend from outside.
Westfall's girlfriend, Jennifer Asher, testified that she was terrified of the man. But Jennifer Gray, who used to live across the street was furious with the management of Club Lure. She said she saw a shooting with her own two eyes. "They are not taking care of their responsibilities. They are abusing their power with their liquor license. This has been going on since 2007."
Gray eventually moved out of the area. Washington resident and business owner, Arsalan Suhail, added others will leave if the city does revoke lures liquor license. "If Lure nightclub were to be removed tomorrow," warned Arsalan Suhail. "I can guarantee you, Your Honor, that you will experience an outflux of residents leaving St. Louis." Suahail said he feels the shootings near the club are a public safety, not club management problem.
Alderwoman for the 5th ward, where Lure operates, agrees. I am concerned that some of these issues come because we created an entertainment district and we do not have a public safety plan in place."
The city rested its case about 2:30, but the defense just started theirs. So a decision is not likely today. Also, we have a lot of soundbites from Nick Trupiano, the owner of Club Lure. But today his lawyer, Freeman Bosley, Jr., said the lawyers will take all questions now.
