PDXS, June 28, 1996, Vol. 6, No. 6, p. 7, "Street Talk"
Reversal of Fortune
The end may be near for the City Nightclub. The City of Portland is using the courts to close the popular, gay-oriented gathering spot as a "drug house." Owner Lanny Swerdlow thought things were looking up when Multnomah County Circuit Judge George Joseph declined to rule on one of the City Attorney's preliminary motions on Thursday, June 6. Instead, he postponed the case until July 12. But then, in an unexpected move, Joseph convened a quick hearing on Friday, June 14, and ruled that the City Nightclub was, in fact, a "specified crime property" - the legal term for "drug house." Although the judge is allowing the City Nightclub to remain open until the still-scheduled July 12 hearing (and possibly longer), Swerdlow had hoped to challenge methods the police used to build their drug case during the trial. That doesn't seem possible at this point.
[End]
Go to PDXS' previous article on this subject in the May 24 issue.
to the All Politics Is Local page.
This URL: http://www.pdxnorml.org/PDXS_Reversal_062896.html
