Lynn License Commission rolls back Tropicana

LYNN – The License Commission has rolled back the closing time for the Cafe Tropicana nightclub following a public hearing where the owner was asked to explain allegations contained in a litany of Lynn police reports.Incidents at the 649 Lynnway establishment included four references to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on Jan. 29, serving liquor after hours, disorderly conduct, failure to summon police and medical assistance, failure to notify the License Commission of an under-21 event, four counts of failing to cooperate with police, failure to register promoters, overcrowding, false advertising of closing hours and lack of management and control.As a result of these incidents, Cafe Tropicana owner Gabriel Rivera must close at 11:30 p.m. pending resolution of the allegations, according to License Commission Chairman Richard Coppinger.Police reports indicate that a parking lot brawl involving 30-40 patrons broke out on Jan. 29 despite the presence of a paid police detail. During that fight, which spilled over into the Auto Zone parking lot, the lone police officer sprayed the combatants with a repellent that was later turned on him. Every police cruiser in the city was called to the scene, along with the department’s Gang Unit, Special Investigations Unit and the Essex County Sheriff’s Department. The nightclub’s security staff, interviewed by police, claimed they were inside and did not witness the fight or the subsequent stabbings. One knifing victim underwent surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital.”We have a lot of questions about the use of promoters and the type of entertainment that is being offered,” said Coppinger. “The case is being continued until next March in order to bring in more police witnesses. As a board, we find it troubling that it took two divisions (of police shifts) to quell the disturbance. That level of violence and serious injuries is disturbing.The commissioners voted for the 11:30 p.m. rollback in the name of public safety, he said.Raffi’s Place, 408 Summer St., faces a hearing before both the License Commission and the state Alcoholic Beverage and Control Commission (ABCC).The Summer Street bar was the site of two Jan. 13 incidents of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Police have also alleged the owner or manager failed to summon police and medical assistance, and lacked management and control of the establishment.The hearing for Raffi’s was continued until March after police testified the owner has been cooperative in helping them determine who was responsible for the assault.”The charges have not been dismissed considering Raffi’s has two other actions pending before the ABCC,” Coppinger said.D’Marcos, 54 State St., faced a hearing on violations including serving alcohol to minors, failure to summon medical assistance after a stabbing, failure to summon police, failure to register a promoter, failure to register an under-21 event and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on Feb. 2.The commissioners suspended the bar’s license for seven days, but the sentence was held in abeyance. “Testimony showed that the stabbing incident occurred in the parking lot. The victim testified that he was leaving the place when he saw someone he thought was a friend. When he approached that person, whom he did not know, he was stabbed twice,” Coppinger said.Champion’s, 170 Broad St., had two liquor violations, one count of serving alcohol to a minor, another for over serving, failure to summon police and medical assistance, and lack of management and control.”The altercation was between an off-duty security personnel and a person ordering food. The police were called. The person came into Champ’s intoxicated. There was no evidence that the drinking occurred in the bar,” Coppinger said.The License Commission has been focused on the use of promoters by local nightclub owners. “This has been a growing concern,” said Coppinger, citing a published advertisement by a Cafe Tropicana promoter