Federal Hill Club at Center of Board of Licenses Debate Following Murder to Remain Closed — For Now
Thursday, July 18, 2019
The Providence Board of Licenses voted Wednesday to keep the Federal Hill nightclub Seven closed for another week, following the murder of Stephen Cabral after he and his assailants had been drinking at the club — after police finally obtained video footage of the club’s interior on the night of the attack.
The meeting marked the second show-cause hearing for Club Seven, after police said last week that they needed to file a warrant to obtain the club footage to see if the altercation began in the establishment.
Club lawyer Nick Hemond says that while the footage shows beverage and license violations, it did not show any evidence that the fight between Cabral and his attackers started in the club — and which he says does not warrant permanent closure.
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“[The video] showed bottle service and entertainment without a license, which they've been sanctioned for before in the past,” said Hemond. “They should be penalized -- but to close someone or revoke their license for bottle service or entertainment without a license is fiction. I will tell you -- I have represented people on [the same charge] on second, third, or fourth offenses and they weren't revoked.”
“The video showed that all the parties were present in the club — it showed them all enter and exit, with the victim exiting first, and the suspect exiting two minutes later,” said Hemond. “They weren't chasing him out. There was no interaction inside the club, not even a friendly one.”
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The City of Providence requested for revocation of the club’s license on Wednesday, but the Board of Licenses only kept the club closed under emergency powers until a meeting next week, said Hemond.
“[The club] should be punished for the entertainment without a license, and I think it merits some kind of closure -- they were told don't do it before,” said Hemond. “But that warrants a one to two-day closure — not revocation.”
Hemond said he will likely appeal the city’s decision with the state Department of Business Regulations.
A GoFundMe has been established for Cabral's funeral expenses -- go here.
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