Strip club workers’ actions criticized

Erica D. Johnson

Friday, Jan. 10, 2003 | 9:53 a.m.

Employees of Crazy Horse Too were negligent in their handling of a combative customer who was later found dead near the topless club, a witness considered a nightclub security expert told jurors Thursday.

"Security is there to watch and monitor and intervene if something happens," Robert Maddox said. "If security becomes part of the problem, they are defeating the purpose of being there in the first place."

Maddox, the former head of security at the now closed Drink nightclub, testified for plaintiff Camille Fau. She is suing the Crazy Horse Too over the August 1995 death of her husband, Scott Fau.

Fau got into a fight with employees that started inside the nightclub and then continued in the parking lot. He was later found dead near railroad tracks behind the club.

The lawsuit alleges the club permitted its employees to injure the man. In addition to the business, the lawsuit targets Darrin Bruy, the bouncer for the club, Michael Muscato, the club's manager, and Paul Luca, the club's bartender, now deceased.

Maddox said that after Fau got into the initial confrontation at the club, the manager and bartender at the Crazy Horse Too should have instructed Fau to leave and then call the police.

Maddox also testified that Luca, the bartender, should have never been allowed to go outside and continue fighting with Fau.

"Allowing the bartender to go outside doesn't settle the situation whatsoever," he said. "It just continued to aggravate the situation."

Maddox was qualified as an expert witness by District Judge Nancy Saitta during the second day of the trial despite objections by defense attorney Marsha Stephenson.

Officer Ernesto Oliver testified that Fau was acting "aggressively" when police arrived at the scene. He said Fau was the only one who needed to be handcuffed.

Oliver didn't arrest anyone and after taking statements, he took the handcuffs off Fau and left as Fau was walking away.