Another Step Forward in DA and Law Enforcement’s Aim to Drain Crime Cesspools

On Thursday, May 8, 2014, Officers with the Knoxville Police Department Repeat Offender Squad and the District Attorney General’s Office closed “Bottoms Up Lounge”” located at 3229 E. Magnolia Avenue under the state nuisance law. This establishment was closed by order of Judge Steve Sword based on KPD’s investigation into increasingly violent behavior occurring in and around the business.

“”This particular nuisance case, seeking to shut down a business that has become a hub of criminal activity and a disruption to an otherwise peaceful neighborhood, is a clear example of how businesses allowing on-going illegal activity become a magnet for many kinds of crime. The great benefit of these nuisance lawsuits is that we can put a stop to these hot beds of crime instantly rather than having to wait for related criminal charges to work their way through the justice system,”” according to District Attorney General Randy Nichols.

Nichols filed the petition outlining the police investigation that revealed the business is an establishment where illegal drug use, ordinance violations, gambling, drunkenness, breaches of the peace, alcohol violations, and extremely violent behaviors are rampant. The establishment is also frequented by known gang members, which increases the likelihood of gun violence in and around the establishment. The petition states that KPD has verified two separate incidents of gun violence in the past two months alone. Additionally, KPD has confirmed repeated instances of illegal gambling and alcohol sales occurring inside the business. In short, General Nichols charges that this business is a haven of criminal activity and a danger to the surrounding community. The property will remain closed until further order of Judge Sword.

This nuisance injunction marks the forty-third closure by the District Attorney’s Office and Knoxville Police Department in their ongoing collaboration to make neighborhoods safer from the activities that affect the safety and quality of life of residents in this community. The State will continue to seek nuisance injunctions for problem properties as crime data show an estimated eighty-five percent reduction in crime and calls for service in areas after the nuisance closure of a property.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.