A succession of Northampton police officers described the June 16 melee outside the bar in the early hours of June 16.
NORTHAMPTON – Following three hours of testimony that resembled a trial Wednesday evening, the License Commission continued a violation hearing concerning Tully O'Reilly's and The Elevens bar to Sept. 4.
The unresolved question of considering previous alleged violations kept the commission from ruling on a June 16 incident.
"Right now I feel like our hands are tied behind our backs," said Commissioner Stephanie Levin.
Police Chief Russell P. Sienkiewicz requested the hearing, saying Tully O'Reilly's and The Elevens cannot control its customers and is a constant strain on police resources.
In a letter to the commission, Sienkiewicz said the bar creates "more often than not a violent atmosphere" in the downtown area. Police have counted 341 separate incidents in and around the bar over the last several years, Sienkiewicz said.
A succession of Northampton police officers described a melee outside the bar in the early hours of June 16. According to police, the ruckus started when a fight between two men broke out in the bar. All six officers on that shift responded to the scene. There were several incidents of violence in the crowd outside the bar, the officers said. Seven people were arrested.
State police and officers from Easthampton were summoned to help as Northampton police transported people to the hospital and to jail for booking. All on-duty Easthampton officers were tied up in Northampton for a while.
"We kind of left the whole area uncovered due to one incident," said Northampton Lt. John Cartledge.
Lawyer Diane Fernald, who represented the bar at the hearing, objected to the presentation of evidence from other incidents, saying she has not received police reports about them.
Sienkiewicz told the commissioners that notice of the violation hearing went out on June 21 and that Fernald did not contact him for information until weeks later.
Commissioner William Rosen noted that the License Commission has heard several violations regarding Tully O'Reilly's and that Fernald represented the bar at some of them. The commissioner ruled that it would take previous incidents into consideration in addition to the one on June 16.
Employees of the bar who testified insisted that its policies are strictly enforced and its security system effective. Head of security Walter Jennings, who was the bar manager that night, said Tully's has a dress code that curbs trouble inside the bar. The code bars patrons from wearing hats, chains and baggy clothes.
Bar owner Tully J. McColgan did not testify before the commission..
"It is apparent and clear that Tully O'Reilly's cannot properly monitor, manage, or control the large crowds that frequent this establishment," the chief wrote.