City of Detroit set to pay $3 Million Dollars over extortion plot

**Casual** · July-13-11, 05:01 AM

Detroit lawyers push $2.95M settlement in topless bar's license dispute
City lawyers seek council's OK on plan to settle license suit
Christine MacDonald/ The Detroit News

Detroit — City lawyers are proposing paying a $2.95 million settlement to a downtown strip club that sued on claims the City Council illegally blocked a license transfer after operators were shaken down for a bribe.

The council voted 5-4 in 2006 to turn down the Zoo Bar's license transfer. The vote came amid a crackdown on topless bars, but strip club officials testified in federal court that, before the vote, political consultant Sam Riddle wanted them to pay $25,000 for then-Councilwoman Monica Conyers' vote.

They refused, she voted against the transfer, and Riddle has denied the allegations.

The bar's owners planned to sell to a group of investors affiliated with Deja Vu, a Lansing-based national chain, who wanted to open a Hustler strip club. The bar on East Congress is now operating as a nightclub called Kingdom.

The Zoo Bar's owners successfully challenged the city's strip club rules, prompting another rewrite. The settlement would end a pending federal suit that alleges the city took the club's property illegally by denying the license transfer.

"It's up to the City Council now," said Brad Shafer, a lawyer for the Zoo Bar.

"We are ready to go to trial. If the City Council doesn't want to settle, then that's fine."

The council received the settlement recommendation Tuesday but members referred it to a committee without discussion. The full council may vote on a settlement next week. Several council members declined comment or didn't return calls Tuesday.

Another strip club, All Stars, on the city's west side is reopening after a Wayne County judge padlocked the bar after police found a 14-year-old girl performing there. The order was set to expire Tuesday afternoon.

"That's all we want to do is do business," said Tim Murphy, All Stars' attorney, who said he planned to pick up keys to the business Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities said they will be closely monitoring the club.
"
We expect to hear from the police if there is any illegal activity that occurs at the club," Maria Miller, a spokeswoman for Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, wrote in an email.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110713/METRO01/107130358/1409/METRO/Detroit-lawyers-push-$2.95M-settlement-in-topless-bar%E2%80%99s-license-dispute

**Hypestyles** · July-13-11, 08:20 AM

..almost hilarious.. less money going to city services.. ah well..

**Det_ard** · July-13-11, 09:40 AM

$2,950,000. In singles.

**Fnemecek** · July-13-11, 10:07 AM

The City Council had to have known that this was coming. They had to pay out another huge law suit in another law suit from a previous attempt at blocking strip clubs through crappy legislation.

The fact that there was some evidence of corruption will only make this case that much more expensive if/when this thing goes to trial. The City Council would be foolish not to approve this settlement.