The following incident took place in Louisiana...
Poker players arrested while gaming at bar
Beverly Corbell
bcorbell@theadvertiser.com
October 30, 2004
SCOTT — A popular bar was raided in the early morning hours Friday, and eight people were arrested for playing Texas Hold ’Em and charged with gambling.
Lafayette City Police officers went to Shannon on Congress, in the 4800 block of West Congress Street, at 3:15 a.m., according police reports.
Cpl. Mark Francis of city police said Friday afternoon that he had no details on the raid, and an employee at Shannon gave no information.
But David Creed, 42, of Lafayette, one of those arrested, said the game was legal and that no alcohol was being served. Creed said he is not sure how he will deal with the charge against him, but he feels the arrests were in error.
“What made it legal was several factors: There was no house take — just people getting together — and the house didn’t profit at all,” he said.
Creed said police came in the back door of the establishment where a game was being held in a separate room. He said one woman whose boyfriend was playing but wasn’t playing herself, was also arrested. In addition to Creed, Lafayette residents arrested were Brandon James Landry, 26; John Carter Angelle, 28; Nicolas Jude Courville, 26; and Phi Ahn Kim Nguyen, 29. Others arrested were Vivian Tien Huynh, 29, Kaplan; John Paul Stafford, 28, Scott; and Minh Pham, 25, New Orleans. All were charged with gambling.
“They started handcuffing us, but let us put valuables like cell phones and our wallets in our cars,” he said. “I said, ‘What were we doing wrong?’ and they said, ‘You were gambling.’ ”
Texas Hold ’Em tournaments have become popular at many bars in and around Lafayette in recent months, but Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Murphy Painter is planning to send out cease and desist orders to bar owners about the games soon, according to the Associated Press. Painter said he plans to start “seriously investigating” poker tournaments this week.
Creed, who said he was dealing, not playing, thinks the Lafayette Police simply jumped the gun. Creed said games at Shannon start every night around 8:30 p.m. or 9 p.m. except for Sunday, when the games start at 4 p.m. He said he plays several times a week.
“My feeling is that they were more out setting the stage for whatever is to come,” he said. Creed said police have come to the games before and at times had arrested whoever was running the game.
“I’ve only been here for three months, but this is the first time they’ve ever taken in a potload of players,” he said.
Glad to see the police department is keeping our city safe.
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