THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 18, 1996 TAG: 9601180409
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARC DAVIS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Two former bar employees testified Wednesday that baseball player Glenn Davis threatened to kill a bouncer and threw the first punch before the bouncer hit him and broke his jaw at an Oceanfront nightclub in 1993.
One witness said Davis, a former major-league slugger, wrapped his hand around the bouncer's throat and was pushing him backward when the bouncer punched Davis in self-defense.
The bouncer's punches broke Davis' jaw and prematurely ended Davis' 1993 baseball season. At the time, Davis was under contract to the Baltimore Orioles for $3.75 million a year, but was on assignment to the minor leagues to work through a batting slump.
Davis is suing the bouncer, Samuel C. Hampton, and the now-defunct bar, Club Rogues, for $5.35 million. His lawsuit claims Hampton is guilty of assault and battery.
The key question is who started the fight in the club's parking lot about 1 a.m. on June 7, 1993.
Davis has testified that the fight began when a teammate and another bouncer got into an argument and a bouncer grabbed the teammate in a headlock or chokehold. Davis said he was trying to break up that fight when Hampton pulled him away and punched him.
Last week, Davis produced one eyewitness who corroborated most of his story.
But on Wednesday, Hampton and Rogues began their defense with two eyewitnesses - a bouncer and a greeter - who testified that Davis brought on the beating.
First, bouncer Anthony Ramirez said he saw Davis and Hampton holding each other in the parking lot, with Davis shouting at Hampton, ``I could kill you right now if I really wanted to.''
Then, he said, Hampton let go of Davis, but the ballplayer took a swing at the bouncer. Hampton hit back, decking Davis, Ramirez said. Davis got up and was coming back at Hampton when the bouncer hit him again, Ramirez testified.
Ramirez said Hampton did not celebrate after the beating. This contradicted one of Davis' witnesses, who testified that he saw Hampton throw up his fists and let out a whoop after decking Davis.
Another witness Wednesday, bar greeter Dawn Smith, testified that she came upon Davis and Hampton in the parking lot just before the punches were thrown. She said Davis was holding Hampton by the throat, pushing him back and saying, ``I could kill you'' at least twice. Hampton said nothing, she testified.
Then, Smith said, Davis swung at Hampton, the bouncer blocked the punch, then counterpunched and Davis fell to the ground. She said Davis came up and was yelling at Hampton when the bouncer hit him again.
This contradicted testimony last week from a witness for Davis who said that Hampton hit the ballplayer twice in the face while Davis was still on the ground.
Ramirez also told jurors Wednesday the exact words that triggered the fight.
He said it began when Davis and two teammates were waiting for a cab outside the bar.
He testified that one teammate, apparently drunk, said to a couple entering the club, ``I sure would like to f--- his girlfriend.''
Ramirez said he ordered the teammate, Randy Ready, to get away from the front door, but Ready refused. That's when he got more bouncers from inside the club and the fight began.
The trial will continues this morning and is expected to end Friday or Monday. ILLUSTRATION: Baseball player Glenn Davis, left, and nightclub bouncer Samuel
C. Hampton, right.
KEYWORDS: LAWSUIT TESTIMONY by CNB