Official Reports
Exerpts From Newsday Article
Copyright 1989 Newsday, Inc.
August 7, 1989, Monday, CITY EDITION
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 15
HEADLINE: Deaths, Lawsuits Dog Queens Club
BYLINE: By George E. Jordan
BODY:
In O'Connor's case, while the medical examiner ruled there was no foul
play in his death, two forensic experts hired by the O'Connor family
recommended further police investigation after they found O'Connor may have been
choked or hit over the head with blunt object.The autopsy showed O'Connor had been in some kind of struggle or fight.
The Queens district attorney's office is no longer actively pursuing its
investigation, according to spokesman Richard Piperno. "The case was
never closed. It's still open," he said. "We have invited the family and
anybody else with any new evidence or new witnesses to come in and we'll listen
to what they've got." Piperno declined to comment on the O'Connor family's
contention of political pressures, and said the district attorney agreed
with the medical examiner's determination.
One of L'Amour's attorneys is City Councilman Morton Povman. Povman is defending the nightspot, its managers and bouncers in
a $20.7 million wrongful-death suit filed by Denise O'Connor, the dead
man's mother.
Five other civil suits brought by patrons alleging they were assaulted
by L'Amour's bouncers are pending.
Povman refused to address the allegations surrounding O'Connor's death.
The state Committee on Government Integrity is considering a request by
the O'Connor family to open a formal investigation into Povman's ties to
L'Amour. "We'll review the material. We haven't decided if we're going
to investigate it yet," said Linda Sachs, a committee spokeswoman recently.
"There is some kind of political influence being generated to protect the
club. It's inconceivable in the city of New York three homicides have
occurred in two years' time and the club still operates," said Thomas A.
Croce, a former Crime Victims Board investigator who prepared the
application to Cuomo for a special prosecutor.
~ END ARTICLE
L'amour East and the surrounding area has had many complaints in the past by the neighboring community.
Between 1983 and 1989 dozens of crimes including assault, robbery, weapons violations, rape and sodomy are linked to L'Amour East (also known as "The Edge"). O'Connor was not the only suspicious death.
On 11/29/87 Victor Vicenty, age 19, died of a gunshot wound after a dispute in the club.
Below are a few disturbances during 1985 and 1986:
March 15, 1985 - Aggravated Harassment
April 14, 1985 - Harassment
May 9, 1985 - Criminal Mischief
May 11, 1985 - Criminal Mischief
May 26, 1985 - Criminal Mischief
May 29, 1985 - Leaving Scene
July 18, 1985 - Leaving Scene
July 21, 1985 - Grand Larceny with Auto
July 28, 1985 - Grand Larceny with Auto
August 17, 1985 - Assault
August 24, 1985 - Burglary
August 28, 1985 - Grand Larceny/ Arson
September 9, 1985 - Grand Larceny
September 20, 1985 - Criminal Mischief
October 6, 1985 - Rape/ Assault
October 19, 1985 - Leaving Scene
October 27, 1985 - Assault
October 27, 1985 - Grand Larceny with Auto
October 29, 1985 - Grand Larceny with Auto
December 24, 1985 - Burglary
December 27, 1985 - Criminal Mischief
December 31, 1985 - Assault/ Robbery
January 3, 1986 - Grand Larceny with Auto
January 26, 1986 - Grand Larceny with Auto
October 11, 1986 - Harassment
December 20, 1986 - Weapon
December 20, 1986 - Criminal Possession with Dangerous Weapon
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