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What is the "SCENE"?
The scene is based on the wonderful music that has come forth in our generation due to technology. For centuries music has been limited to the sounds that the instruments themselves make. Which is by no means a bad thing, history has brought us some wonderful music. Only now in our day and age, we have the ability to create with technology, the very music that we can imagine in our minds and in our dreams.
Through technology our generation has found a way of expressing some of the most inner desires of the human soul through music; The desire for (P)eace & (L)ove for all mankind, both within each of us individually and between us collectively. Gathered in (U)nity with (R)espect for others, we express these emotions in a gathering of people of all ages from all walks of life, where the love deep down inside us, is brought out through the music we all love so dearly. Our generation is truly changing the way things are, and dance music will forever be remembered as having saved a dying planet.
(P)eace (L)ove (U)nity (R)espect
Date/Time: 12/18/01
Subject: club La Vela beats the feds !!!!
Message:Club La Vela
Panama City Beach, FL
November 27, 2001, after less than two hours of deliberation, jurors in the Club La Vela trial returned with a verdict of "not guilty" on all charges for defendants Patrick and Thorsten Pfeffer. This precedent setting case is a major blow to federal prosecutors who for the second time tried to use a 1986 law designed to rid neighborhoods of crack houses against persons who manage nightclubs or concert venues.
Although the Pfeffer brothers were accused of violating federal narcotics laws, no drugs were ever found on them or inside their club (similar to the New Orleans case.) Instead of drugs, trial prosecutors showed the jury BlowPops, gum, and glow sticks - items seized in a April 27th raid on the club. The assorted candies were presented as "evidence" that Club La Vela patrons were using drugs. Prosecutors also showed the jury a picture downloaded from Club La Vela's website of a man giving a massage to another man - this too was introduced as "evidence" of drug use.
Defense attotrney's presented their side in four days then rested. After only 75 minutes of deliberation, jurors returned verdicts of "not guilty" on all charges, an embarrassing end to the government's five year investigation of Club La Vela.
On Tuesday, June 5th, 2001, a federal grand jury indicted Patrick Pfeffer, Thorston G. Pfeffer, and their corporation Sea Watch of Panama City Beach, Inc., d/b/a "Club La Vela" on charges of "Operating A Crackhouse" with a Criminal Forfeiture motion. The same law was used in New Orleans in January of this year, but the new indictment indicates the federal government's intention to seize the assets of club owners where drug use takes place.
Club La Vela is no stranger to harassment by local law enforcement. In 1997 it was the first club raided in the state's Anti-Rave bill. Beginning in spring of 1999, The Florida Office of Drug Control and the Florida Sheriff's Association initiated "Operation Heat Rave". Panama City Beach served 20 warrants in September and October of that year.
In April of 2000, the Panama City Beach Sheriff raided Club La Vela, the largest night club in Florida. According to a return sheet filed by the state, nothing was found that night. The state dismissed charges brought against club management for allowing drug activity in the club. No evidence has linked the owners to drug possession, sales, distribution or manufacturing.
The local sheriff's office claims that arrests made during their investigation led to the confiscation of thousands of pills, more than 1,000 gallons of gamma hydroxy butyrate (scoop), three ounces of liquid LSD, 1,000 doses of LSD in pill or blotter form, four ounces of methamphetamine and two meth labs, marijuana, cocaine and other controlled substances. The Sheriff's Department refuses to comment on these claims to this day. They also have failed to link the club to any of this activity.
At a press conference held after the April 2000 raid on the club, Bay County Sheriff Guy Tunnell, presented a graphic illustration of an octopus, with the Pfeffer brothers depicted as the eyes, and the tentacles as sucking people into the octopus. The News Herald wrote this in their article covering the raid:
"Bay County Sheriff Guy Tunnell described the popular nightspot as a place in which young people were groomed to become drug consumers. He and Panama City Beach Police Chief J.B. Holloway said the fact that the massive night club included rooms for underage patrons combined with a 'lackadaisical' attitude toward drug use, made it likely that many teen-agers who visited the club would be exposed to illicit drugs. 'They were raising them to come back and buy their drugs later,' Holloway said."
Was Club La Vela selected in part because it has the highest number of drug arrests in Panama City Beach? The reason for this is likely Club La Vela's strict enforcement of a Zero Tolerance Policy.
Was Club La Vela also selected because of its ambulance calls? First, many of these calls are due to alcohol related incidents. Second, the higher rate of calls is again due to the safety precautions the club takes. Third, Club La Vela serves more patrons than any other club in the area, and therefore, is likely to have a higher rate of ambulance calls.
On March 6th, 2001, State Attorney, Jim Appleman confirmed an assertion by Chief Holloway that Club La Vela did not have the right to detain individuals suspected of possessing or dealing drugs at the club. In an interoffice memorandum, he stated that Florida State Law only allowed individuals to be detained by a business in two circumstances: 1) a merchant can detain someone when they have probable cause to believe that the suspect committed retail theft and that the detention will result in recovery of the property, and 2) the operator of a hotel or resturaunt may also detain a suspect for disorderly conduct. Mr. Appleman further suggested that a citizen's arrest could be made by a Club La Vela staff member, but that the staff member and Club La Vela would be opening the door to liability suits if the arrest were mishandled in any way. A citizen's arrest procedure does not actually exist in Florida state law, however, Mr. Appleman asserted that Florida common law allowed for the practice. The only solution offered was to hire off duty police officers - a move many cities have banned electronic music promoters from taking, and a move that Panama City Beach Police and Bay County Sheriff's deputies deprived Club La Vela.
Following the May 5th indictment on violation of the Crackhouse Statute. Local news coverage showed a discussion of the distribution of the assets seized as a result of the indictment: 80% will go to local law enforcement, 5% to charities, and 15% to the federal government. The law allows asset seizure prior to a guilty verdict. So far, law enforcement has suggested they are willing to wait until after the trial.
Drug sales were not the only issue which Sheriff's gave Club La Vela trouble about. In April of this year, the Sheriff refused to allow hip-hop artist Juvenile to perform at a scheduled event. They first cited a civil noise injunction, but determining that the law wouldn't have applied at the time the show was stopped, they switched their story to say it was because the show violated a noise injunction. But, the band had no chance to perform in order that sound readings could be taken.
Two days later a bomb threat was called in on Club La Vela that resulted in a search by local authorities. Both drug and bomb sniffing dogs were called in. The authorities were waiting in a gas station across the street to respond to the bomb threat. Both, ABT (Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Department) and the Florida Highway Patrol had nothing but kind things to say about Club La Vela, and their safety operations. The local sheriff has also singled out two bars catering to primarily black clientele. Sun Dancer and La Royale Lounge were both shut down after repeated harassment by law enforcement.
MTV named Club La Vela the official headquarters of MTV Spring Break in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Club La Vela continues to host big events such as the VANS Warped Tour, the Skoal ROAR Tour, World championship Wrestling, the Bay Watch Talent Search, and Earthlink's Web cast of Spring Break 99. Events such as these keep attracting national media attention of E!-TV, ESPN, TNT and more.
Club La Vela had a strong legal team consisting of various attorneys specialising in constitutional law. These include first amendment attorney Luke Lirot, President of the National Association of First Amendment Attorneys, and Barry Richard of the law firm Greenberg Traurig, PA who served as lead attorney for President Bush in the 2000 election litigation, and who has been special counsel for the Florida Legislature, the Florida Attorney General, and the Governor.
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