LITTLE ROCK — The city of Little Rock and the owner of The Sandpiper Club, where a Jacksonville man was killed last month, agreed Tuesday to a settlement that will put the late-night club under a circuit judge's supervision for four months.
The city sued the Asher Avenue club after a Sept. 29 gunbattle that killed 30-year-old Demetrie Culbreath of Jacksonville and wounded a club security guard. One of the men accused of participating in the gunplay, 34-year-old Alvin Robinson Jr., was also shot. A homeless man was killed during a shootout at the club in December, and the Sandpiper has been the scene of several other assaults and batteries, authorities say.
Under the agreement presented Tuesday to Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza by Assistant City Attorney Julia Hudson, the club will:
Install digital security cameras that will cover its parking lot and overflow parking areas across the street.
Have one certified law enforcement officer working as a security guard on weeknights and two on weekends.
Comply with the city's fire code and all state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board regulations.
Keep a registry of all guests.
Shut down by 3 a.m. instead ofits state-approved 5 a.m. closing time.
Hudson said the city will present a progress report to the judge after the first month.
"Should there be further violence ... the city may seek to further shorten the hours," she said.
In its Oct. 5 nuisance lawsuit against the club, the city had indicated an interest in shutting down the club at 4726 Asher Ave., but Hudson said city officials hope the agreement can prevent that.
"We don't want to put working people out of work, such as the waiters and waitresses who depend on tips," she told the judge.
Stephen Morley, representing The Sandpiper Club Inc., and club manager Granville Broadway, the company's registered agent and holder of the club's liquor license, told the judge the agreement was satisfactory.
Broadway attended the hearing but did not speak, but Morley said Broadway was satisfied with the arrangement.
"We support that," Morley said. "Working together, we will be able to get results everyone will be happy with."
He told the judge that the club has had few problems with state regulators since Broadway got the liquor license in 2001. The control board has issued the club one written warning, and two lesser infractions were dismissed, Morley told the judge.
The nightclub has already hired the required weekend securityguards in the wake of the slaying, Morley said after the hearing.
Broadway has also made arrangements for the security cameras, which should be installed within a week, he said.
Closing early will have a financial impact on the nightclub, Morley acknowledged, but he said he was pleased that the city will review conditions of the agreement.
"We appreciate the city's interest in revisiting this issue in 30 days," he said.
The property owners, Harold and Birdie Durham of Lawrenceville, Ga., did not attend the hearing, but their attorney, Jeff Wankum, said they have also endorsed the agreement.
"They just want to be good stewards," Wankum said.
Arkansas, Pages 13 on 10/24/2007