by Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times
One of the Easton police officers who investigated the October 31 stabbing of a patron in the bathroom of a local bar testified during a preliminary hearing yesterday for the club's owner, Kirtikuma Patel.
Kirtikuma Patel was charged with tampering with evidence and obstructing law enforcement after police say he ordered club employees to ignore police instructions not to clean anything until their investigation of the stabbing was complete.
Officer Andrew Ocetnik testified that Patel told his employees "I don’t care what the police say … clean it up."
But Gary Asteak, Patel’s lawyer, presented a witness that disputed the officer's statement.
John Thomas, the club's manger, told the court he was present the entire evening and he never heard Patel tell employees to ignore police orders. Thomas also said that police never questioned him.
Following the hearing, Judge Gay Elwell ordered the hindering apprehension or prosecution charge to be dismissed and recommended that the tampering with evidence and obstructing law enforcement charge be sent to Northampton County Court.
Earl Robinson, the man that was stabbed in his neck that Halloween night at Club Beyond, survived his wound. His assailant, Daniel Clark was arrested for the stabbing, but pleaded to a less serious charge after judge Elwell dismissed the more serious charges of attempted homicide and aggravated assault due to lack of evidence.
Clark, who was seen with a knife in the club that night, pleaded guilty to possession of instruments of crime and was sentenced to six to 12 months in prison.
The stabbing incident at Club Beyond came on the heels of a week long suspension the establishment was hit with after it was found to be serving alcohol to under aged patrons.
Club Beyond has since closed.
The Black Urban Times
One of the Easton police officers who investigated the October 31 stabbing of a patron in the bathroom of a local bar testified during a preliminary hearing yesterday for the club's owner, Kirtikuma Patel.
Kirtikuma Patel was charged with tampering with evidence and obstructing law enforcement after police say he ordered club employees to ignore police instructions not to clean anything until their investigation of the stabbing was complete.
Officer Andrew Ocetnik testified that Patel told his employees "I don’t care what the police say … clean it up."
But Gary Asteak, Patel’s lawyer, presented a witness that disputed the officer's statement.
John Thomas, the club's manger, told the court he was present the entire evening and he never heard Patel tell employees to ignore police orders. Thomas also said that police never questioned him.
Following the hearing, Judge Gay Elwell ordered the hindering apprehension or prosecution charge to be dismissed and recommended that the tampering with evidence and obstructing law enforcement charge be sent to Northampton County Court.
Earl Robinson, the man that was stabbed in his neck that Halloween night at Club Beyond, survived his wound. His assailant, Daniel Clark was arrested for the stabbing, but pleaded to a less serious charge after judge Elwell dismissed the more serious charges of attempted homicide and aggravated assault due to lack of evidence.
Clark, who was seen with a knife in the club that night, pleaded guilty to possession of instruments of crime and was sentenced to six to 12 months in prison.
The stabbing incident at Club Beyond came on the heels of a week long suspension the establishment was hit with after it was found to be serving alcohol to under aged patrons.
Club Beyond has since closed.
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