Slidebar Rock-N-Roll Kitchen Is Innocent

I worked security at Slidebar that night.

The bartender called the cops, not the manager, as I recall.  Popov had a standing order to say that any homeless problems outside were to be handled by calling the cops and saying that someone´s lifting handles on cars.  If they were inside causing trouble you were supposed to call the cops and say that you THINK you saw a gun.  Otherwise the police never come; not unless you make those claims.  No one that´s ever met Popov would claim that he´s good to the homeless, or that he´s a decent guy.  He´s not exactly a class-act.

The other security guy, Baby Huey, and I saw Thomas screaming and jerking-off at the bus depot as we walked from the parking garage to Slidebar for our shift.  We mentioned it to the head of security (Will), and rest is history.

That´s what really happened, if anyone cares to know.

Slidebar called the piggies...

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid23629761001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAADrXnTk~,prBKvYCdnSiPuUdNp2JgmbUxgbQNucYa&bctid=1752552524001

I don't think the Slidebar is so innocent.

Their personnel called those fucking insane cops!

See something say something?

Fuck that. All this article proves is that the fucking Slidebar made the call to the insane cops that led to the brutal death of Kelly Thomas.

I am sickened by the alarming and increasing rate of police corruption. I know first hand what takes place being a retired cop and it aint a pretty site ladies and germs. There is a ton of physical abuse inflicted by police officers, a ton of intentional K9 bights to people, a HUGE amount of false reporting in the police reports and much much more

Why I protest; My case against the Slidebar in the murder of Kelly Thomas - (Rumored) Anti-homeless policy. Employees were instructed to keep them away from the Slidebar to protect the business' image. - (Rumored) Calls of loitering were not treated with enough urgency for Popoff's and the Slidebar's managements liking, so the decision was either made by the Slidebar, or possibly instructed by officers of the Fullerton Police Department to call and report a more serious complaint in order to get a more aggressive response. - (Fact) Jeanette DeMarco, working as the manager of the Slidebar on the night of July 5, 2011, called the Fullerton Police Department to report she had seen Kelly Thomas trying door handles of parked cars in an an attempt to break into vehicles. http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid23629761001?bckey=AQ%7E%7E%2CAAAAADrXnTk%7E%2CprBKvYCdnSiPuUdNp2JgmbUxgbQNucYa&bctid=1752552524001 - (Fact) Not one witness, out of hundreds there that night, has come forward to state they saw Kelly Thomas touch a car door handle, or behave as if he was attempting to break into vehicles. - (Fact) Many witnesses have come forward to say he was walking through the parking lot, picking up cigarette butts, not disturbing anyone, including the Slidebar and their customers. - (Fact) Popoff and DeMarco lied for a year about the call not originating from them or the Slidebar, obstructing the investigation into the cause of Kelly Thomas' murder. - (Fact) Jeanette DeMarco is still employed by the Slidebar, and has never been charged with filing a false police report, though it is said by those who know her that she feels horrible for her part in Kelly's murder. - (Fact) Very regular customer of the Slidebar/ friend of employees admits to family members of Kelly Thomas that they "sometimes take things down and destroy the memorial", at the location where he was murdered. - (Fact) The possibility of the Slidebar's call to the police being a false report has still not been investigated, causing the need for the people to hold them accountable. BONUS FACTS - Had the police been told the truth, that Kelly Thomas was loitering they would have drove by, and asked him to move along, as they had in the past. The need to find stolen property on him and charge him would not have been there, and the altercation that led to his murder very likely could have been avoided. - The Slidebar does not own the property of the parking lot, where Kelly Thomas was looking for cigarette butts, not breaking into cars. - There are better businesses in Fullerton to spend your money at!

I am disappointed in the misleading headline and stand by my opinion on the Slidebar's involvement in Kelly's murder.

It's amazing how Kelly Thomas has now evolved into some kind of sanctified martyr post mortem. Everybody seems to forget how obnoxious and repulsive he could be and how he repeatedly soiled the community with his very presence. He had 95 run-ins w/ the cops. One of his LAST offenses before his death was EXPOSING HIMSELF AND URINATING IN FRONT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS. But now you people cry: "Oh, what a tragic loss! He was harmless! He wouldn't hurt a fly!" C'mon. When some creep perpetually causes problems and impedes commerce and recreation sooner or later someone's gonna do something "pro-active" to eliminate the source of these problems. The cops lost their patience--that's wrong--- but Thomas set himself up for his own untimely end. Sad but true.

The article and rscottmoxley's responce to the comments are very misleading. It makes it seem like the phone call was just a fabricated story by Reeves. Here's an example: "The videos are beyond conclusive that his story is a complete fabrication." His story is not a complete fabrication as Jeanette Demarco(Slidebar manager) did make a call to Fullerton police about Kelly on the night in question. Here is an NBC news link to parts of the transcript and the audio http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/911-Call-That-Led-to-Kelly-Thomas-Beating-163722006.html In responce to comments Scott Moxley states: "The alleged evidence against the Slidebar came from one person: Michael Reeves. With the video surveillance evidence, his inflammatory tale has been thoroughly destroyed." The evidence is the actual phone call that was made by Slidebar manager Jeanette Demarco which was only mentioned briefly in the article. Why not print some of the transcipt of the audio?

Actually, the article does little to clear the collective name of the Slidebar. Previously, it was my understanding that no personnel made contact or observed Kelly Thomas directly before calling the police. A bar patron reported Kelly Thomas to bar personnel who then called the police.

Now I learn that Slidebar personnel called the police after going into the parking lot. If Kelly Thomas was not touching any of the vehicles and was not witnessed doing this, what was the justification for the phone call? Did any one hear glass break? Alarms going off? Why don't the publicly accessible records contain a notation of this call?

Why did the Slidebar personnel call the police and what did they provide as a justification for doing so?

What they're not talking about is Thomas had lawful access to this restaurant's restroom (Handicapped have unchecked to restroom facilities throughout the state) which it the reason for staging his summary execution by law enforcement.  There were no cars vandalized, which should have been a first priority determination to validate the complaint.  Your bouncer has his issues, but he's also describing a difficult memory based largely on a trauma bond relationship with the owner.

Scott, I just read your response on the OC Weekly site and, to be honest, I find it a bit on the histrionic side. And, for a journalist, that takes me aback. You are suppose to be neutral, not kissing Jeremy's boots. Again, the lawsuit is bullshit but that doesn't absolve the Slide Bar. FACT: Jeanette DeMarco DID call the cops, claiming Kelly Thomas was breaking into cars. FACT: Jeremy Popoff DENIED for months that it was Slide Bar that made that call. FACT: We are still not clear that it is or is not Jeremy's policy to call the cops when undesirables are around Mr. Popoff's establishment. Because the Slide Bar shares property with the Fullerton Transportation Center, he cannot claim "private property", thus he cannot evict undesirables. So, the only way to get rid of these people is to call the cops and make allegations, such as car break ins or menacing. Are they responsible for Kelly Thomas' death? That is for a court to decide when Ron Thomas takes them to court. But, that does not absolve them in the court of public opinion. I don't think I am being unfair. I am just looking at the facts of the case. And for a journalist to be "saddened"? Really? I thought your place is in giving the public the facts of the case, not taking sides.

Louie, then why did Jeremy Popoff lie for months about the Slide Bar being the ones who called the cops? Because they did make a false police report. Kelly Thomas was NOT breaking into cars. He was only wandering between the cars. The only thing the story says is that the bouncer is a liar about his part in all this. The facts still remain that DeMarco DID call the cops. She DID say Kelly Thomas was "breaking into cars". And it did NOT dispute the allegations that it was Popoff's policy to call the cops on the homeless if they came around the Slide Bar. Because Slide Bar shares space with the train station, they cannot claim "private property". So, they have to make up allegations to get Fullerton PD out there. So, sorry, Jeremy Popoff and the Slide Bar are NOT off the hook.

Focus on the murder, and nothing else. The blame lies in the hands of the men who brutally beat another man to death. After having seen, for the very first time, the horrifying photo of Kelly Thomas from the hospital room, I have made this same comment (as vulgar as it is) many times: Only a baby raper deserves to be beaten like this. It's not the phone call, it's not the video, it's not the car door handles, it's not the band everyone hates - it's the murder. This headline makes good copy and reaction, but time to stop looking away to the shining objects designed to distract all of us, and time to re-focus on the murder of an innocent man by a gang of 6 corrupt and ultra-violent murdering cops.

I’ve knew Kelly off and on for over a decade while living in downtown Fullerton, I hung with him for many hours, and although he was at times clearly suffering with mental illness, and he was at times capable of strange (uncommon not violent) behavior, most of the time he was just was just mellow with me and I trusted and liked. I was horrified and sad when I learned what happened to him. I had just seen him walking a week or do earlier down my old street, for the first time in a couple of years. I just kept thinking “6 on 1”, what bunch of thugs.

If I thought the Slidebar was responsible for Kelly’s death I may have lit the match that burnt it down, but I have seen zero evidence of them being guilty of anything other than making a phone call, that many other people would have made under similar circumstances,  and not handling their response to this murder very well in the press. But we are activists for social justice, not fucking life coaches, and insensitivity just doesn’t rise the level of requiring protest and boycotts. When we see proof of something, like the tape of Kelly’s publically executed by up to six officers, and we confront armed police and those in government who hold power, but do nothing, we are activists fighting powerful bullies … we are the good guys.  When we do the same to a bar manager, who could have had no expectation that the police would escalate her call to a on a compliant suspect to a 10 minute stomp fest and beat down,  and we do it based on rumor, we are the fucking bullies and this needs to stop. When you protest the Slidebar you provide a false equivalency between murderous scum and someone who perhaps is just a little too eager to report suspicious behavior. Doing so helps the police and more importantly, it’s just wrong.  If our reactions do not differ depending on the level of evil we are fighting, we have zero credibility, and to the public an activist with zero credibility is just loud and annoying.

Maybe I never bought into this conspiracy story because I have always disliked bouncers just about as much as I mistrust the police, but maybe it’s also because no one was ever capably of backing up the claims they made about the Slidebar. The last one was the another bouncer had defaced the memorial. I was told it was on film. Also not true, but yet no retraction. We demand that Goodrich retract his false statements, we need to demand that of ourselves as well.

I am not wired to call the police, about making a phone call to the non emergency line if one thinks someone is acting suspicious, is what many people might do. It’s in fact what good citizens are told to do since they were kids.   From this tape we will never know for sure what the manager was thinking when she called. We don’t get to see everything the manager saw. Did she actually see him pull on door handles, did she mistakenly think he pulled on door handles, or did she only see him walking between cars, where to me he appears to be looking into windows but was probably looking on the ground of cigarettes, and then exaggerate his actions? I don’t know. But if I don’t know something, I don’t conclude the worst and try to keep my mouth shut.  Can we claim for sure that Kelly under no circumstances would have every pulled on a door handle when we know he was mentally ill? I don’t fucking know, but I do know that whatever it was, it was minor until the cops escalated it to murder.  When we do not know something we should not just make shit up or assume the worst, and to my mind that is what many of you are doing with the manager.

What this tape proves (to me) is that the bouncer who filed claims saying there was an organized effort to escalate the calls to scare off the homeless, has demonstrated in his deposition that he is full of shit in so many aspect of his suit, that he is not credibly in any aspects of his suit (he also makes my point above by doing so) . He is a first class, top shelf, scumbag grafter. This former hand stamper and wrestler of drunk dudes at bars, pimped out Kelly’s battered body, along with the well intention ed passions of many in the justice for Kelly Thomas movement, in what will now be a failed attempt to profit on Kelly’s death. Does that not piss you off more than what the Slidebar did.  In doing so he made himself and the Slidebar an unnecessary distraction and this story continues to take up space in print and in blogs which would be much better served aimed on at all six cops who are free on bail and the new Chief who is letting three of the other cops remain on the force.

Those are facts, that is the truth and that is what we should focus on . If you believe something in the Kelly Thomas case without having any evidence of it, you are no longer social justice advocates, or political protesters, you are ineffective mystics and zealots and I know you to be better than that.

I am not going to reply to any post. Anyone who has been involved in this case has my phone number and knows where I live. I will be happy to speak to you. I wold like us to focus on what matters and to for the fist time in 162 years in CA get justice for a murder victim of the police. 

Peace and respect,

Stephan Baxter

www.artwithanagenda.orgb

Even assuming Reeves is a liar, such does not mean the Slidebar is innocent.  For all we know Reeves is acting and working under the direction of Popoff.

What a great way to damage the case against Popoff is for Popoff to have one of his employees quit and make the claims Reeves does all the while knowing they have video evidence to pull out at the right time and do what they are now doing.  

Clever people these homeless haters.


 

I see a big lawsuit for Tony Bushala, Travis Kiger and FFFF Blog......for months Bushala and Kiger has caused financial damage to the owners of the slide bar...Bushala has deeeeep pockets... I see some green bleeding out of those Fullerton Slums owned by the would be "King of Fullerton " Tony Bushala and nerd boy Kiger.......better check your facts before you destroy a persons living.

Guilty!!!

So where are all those people that talked all that smack like they knew the real story? Eat it!

So where are all those people that talked all that smack like they knew the real story? Eat it!

Yes, yes but are their wings any good?

Lit still sucks.

ummm, I think everyone has missed the bottom line here. People call the cops all the time, sometimes for no reason. No one at the Slidebar thought if would result in his death. I have utmost respect for our law enforcement but these bad apples really, really blew it. No one to blame except the cops in this case.

So Slidebar is innocent of what exactly? The wrongful termination of the bouncer? The fact is the call was made by a manager from Slidebar(Jeanette DeMarco) claiming Kelly was "trying door handles" on cars according to the transcript of the audio. 

i hope this bar does get shut up today the bouncers here sexual harass girls and dont handle people & situation

Whats your comment on the video from them showing Kelly walking past all the cars NOT pulling on door handles etc but headed to his death ????  BTW Ron Thomas has the video and should be able to share it soon!

What about the date rapes?

The Slidebar isn't at all innocent at all! Jeanette is going to jail for false police report! I hope the bar gets closed down!

None of that proves that Popoff didn't enforce a policy to get rid of Kelly Thomas. And, why didn't the police, the FBI, or the owner even think about looking at the tapes when the incident occurred? That seems really suspicious.

How can you use such language? Your story does not prove their "innocence" but rather the bouncer was not truthful. The 911 call still came from the Slidebar, and the caller was dishonest in their claim. I'm disappointed, OC Weekly.