THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 10, 1995 TAG: 9501100317
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON FRANK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
The wedding of comedian Martin Lawrence and Patricia Southall, the former Miss Virginia USA from Chesapeake, was moved suddenly from Portsmouth to Norfolk on Saturday because of threats made against the event and its participants, police said.
``They just told us they were moving because of threats,'' said Jimmy Ennis, a spokesman for the Portsmouth Police Department who was working private security at the church on Saturday.
Ennis said he was told that at least one of the threats mentioned a bomb. Another police officer confirmed that on Monday.
Just how the threats were communicated to authorities could not be confirmed on Monday, but apparently they were telephoned to someone connected to the wedding arrangements.
``I just know that there was a threat,'' said the Rev. Joseph Fleming of the Third Baptist Church, where the wedding was to be held.
After the move to the Waterside Marriott Hotel in Norfolk, the ceremony went off without a hitch, according to Steve Brinn, resident manager of the Marriott.
Brinn said a security force already was in place at the hotel to handle the wedding reception, which had been planned for the Marriott.
``Somewhere around midmorning we were asked by the client if they could hold the event in the hotel,'' Brinn said. ``Sometimes that would be a very hard thing to deliver on during a busier weekend. But one of our ballrooms was just sitting there.''
With the move to Norfolk, security at the hotel concentrated on keeping the 600-guest event private by not allowing tabloid television reporters and other celebrity seekers near Lawrence and his bride. Reporters from one television show allegedly tried to bribe hotel employees to get close to the wedding party.
Brinn said no threats came into the Marriott.
The change in wedding plans left hundreds of disappointed fans outside Fleming's church on Godwin Street in Portsmouth, wondering what had happened. Police said the crowd at one point swelled to about 500 people.
The security force of about 15 officers detailed to the church remained there until late Saturday afternoon because of the crowd.
Police are looking into the possibility that the threats stemmed from a fight that broke out early Saturday at a party in Virginia Beach club.
Although Lawrence attended the party, held at the Professional Club in the 100 block of Witchduck Road, police don't believe he was involved in the incident.
Pam Southall, sister of the bride and her maid of honor, said Monday the family knew nothing of the threats. She said the family decided to move the wedding because of concerns about crowd control.
``We were trying to look out for the betterment and security of everyone involved,'' Southall said on Monday. ``We did not think the crowd was being controlled like it should have been.'' by CNB