City Attorney Announces 60 Criminal Charges Filed Against 3 Hollywood Nightclubs

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) — City Attorney Mike Feuer announced Thursday the filing of 60 criminal charges against the owners and operators of three Hollywood hot spots — Project Los Angeles, L'Scorpion and the recently closed Rusty Mullet.

"This is a continuing step in that process to assure that Hollywood nightlife is safe for everyone — both the patrons and the residents in the surrounding areas," Feuer said at a press conference announcing the charges.

Feuer said this crackdown comes amid allegations of security breakdowns, operating without valid licenses and noise complaints following fights, stabbings and a murder.

The city attorney's office said these clubs were responsible for increased calls to the Los Angeles Police Department Hollywood Division and inspections by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety and the Los Angeles Planning Department.

The owners and operators of Project Los Angeles have been charged with 18 criminal counts — seven related to security guard issues, three counts of improper lighting and two counts of admitting minors. The owners and operators of L'Scorpion have been charged with 20 criminal counts, including six charges of operating without valid permits, three counts related to inadequate security and three related to excessive noise.

The owners and operators of the recently closed Rusty Mullet have been charged with 22 counts including six related to security guard inadequacies, seven of operating without valid licenses and three for operating as a nightclub instead of as a restaurant.

"They did have kind of an undesirable crowd," Jeremy Fuller, general manager at Jameson's Irish Pub, said. "They just finished out business last Sunday, so I think we're going to have a better addition coming in with the hot chicken place coming."

Jameson's is located between L'Scorpion and the former location of Rusty Mullet, which will soon be home to Nashville-style chicken shop Hot Motha Clucker.

"We are concerned about the trouble in the past, and the trouble in the past was due to this place not being monitored as much by management," George Galajian, owner of Hot Motha Clucker, said. "So, we're three partners, and we're going to be on top of it like white on rice."

The owners and operators of the cited clubs are facing community service, fines and possibly jail time.