Jerry's liquor license suspended for three weeks

By: Cathy Bayer/Police and Courts Reporter

Posted: 1/16/08

In seven minutes, Larry Keck learned his business would for pay a $500 fine and serve a 21-day suspension from selling alcohol at Jerry's Pizza & Pub.

The ruling came Tuesday stemming from a Sept. 16 bar raid. Jerry's was charged with 88 counts of violating Charleston liquor license laws.

Keck is the co-owner of RK Pizza Inc. and liquor license holder for Jerry's.

86 minors were charged with frequenting a licensed premise, 77 were charged with purchase/acceptance of alcohol by a minor, seven with possession of a false identification, two with the misrepresentation of age by a minor, and two with obstruction of a peace officer.

The patrons' court date was Nov. 1.

Keck and his attorney, David Nelson, appeared in the seven-minute meeting Tuesday morning as a continuation from Dec. 10, when City Attorney Brian Bower asked for more time to view two five-hour discs, which show people entering the bar and showing their IDs. Keck pleaded not guilty during a November hearing and claimed to have videotape evidence that no violations were made.

After viewing the video, a "vast majority" entered with IDs, but at least one entered without showing identification, Nelson said.

"Based on the video, the majority did present an identification card and later were not truthful about that," Nelson said.

If the case were to proceed to a trial, there would be evidence that some entered the business with a false ID - but not all of them, Bower said.

Inyart, who also serves as the city's liquor commissioner, found that it was a violation of Charleston's liquor license laws.

Papers must be drafted and served to Keck, which Bower hoped to have prepared Thursday, and a 21-day suspension would then begin.

"Our intention was not to put him out of business," Inyart said.

The business was served a stiffer punishment because this is the second violation in 12 months, Inyart said.

Cathy Bayer can be reached at 581-7943 or DenCityDesk@gmail.com.