0:18The most notable discussion centered around Jade Garden restaurant, located at 18-20 Tyler Street, which faced accusations of assault and battery by its employees against patrons. The incident, which occurred on October 21, 2024, involved patrons Nisha Wallace and Kiara King. They reported that an unidentified man, “Jamie,” joined them at their table on the promise of paying their bill. When he refused to pay, a confrontation ensued. The victims alleged that restaurant staff prevented them from leaving and pursued them down the street, resulting in physical assault. Detective Walsh from the Boston Police Department presented these allegations, noting severe bruising observed on Kiara King and the necessity of medical evaluation on scene.

In defense, Peter Cow, CEO of Jade Garden, argued that the staff’s actions were a result of the refusal to pay the bill and merely an attempt to clarify payment responsibilities. The board questioned the availability of video evidence to substantiate these claims, which Detective Walsh confirmed was collected but not yet reviewed by the board.

16:37The meeting also delved into issues of cooperation with law enforcement, particularly concerning the extraction and preservation of video footage at Park 54 Restaurant and Lounge. Sergeant Detective Eric Kuss recounted an incident where an intoxicated patron, Brandy Wilkinson, was reported leaving the venue in a distressed state on June 28, 2024. Owner Tasha Hall contested the account, asserting that the individual was never inside the restaurant. Hall expressed frustration with conflicting police descriptions and emphasized her cooperation, despite feeling “harassed” by the ongoing investigation. She clarified that video footage was available for six months but was not instructed to preserve specific footage at that time.

The board stressed the importance of cooperation with law enforcement in such investigations, emphasizing that adherence to advisories regarding evidence preservation is crucial. This situation illustrated the challenges venues face when reconciling law enforcement’s expectations with their operational realities, particularly when communication breakdowns occur.

Another noteworthy incident involved Legacy Boston, where multiple patrons reported phone thefts on October 20, 2024. Club manager Terrence Gathers expressed concern over the frequency of thefts and cooperated by providing video footage to assist the investigation.

1:03:20The board also reviewed a case involving the Milner Hotel, which faced allegations of non-compliance, including failure to cooperate with police in providing video evidence related to a separate sexual assault investigation stemming from another location, The Moxy hotel. Edward Donovan, representing the hotel, explained technical challenges with the surveillance system and staff turnover as factors affecting their ability to comply with police requests. However, the board remained concerned about the implications of these compliance issues, particularly given the sensitivity of the investigation.