THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 27, 1996 TAG: 9607270203
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 88 lines
Police are investigating whether former Norfolk basketball star and current NBA player Joseph L. Smith was involved in a bar brawl early Friday in which a male dancer was badly cut.
Police spokeswoman Elizabeth Jones said witnesses at Ridley's Restaurant and Lounge in South Norfolk told investigators Smith was part of a crowd that attacked a male dancer around 1 a.m. after an argument.
Another male dancer, David Turner, said Smith smashed a beer bottle over the the back of the head of 25-year-old Carlton Coney, causing a gash between his shoulder blades that required 22 stitches.
Jones said authorities are investigating what happened at the club. She said late Friday no one had been charged.
Turner said Smith and a group of about 10 others became angry when the male exotic dancers wouldn't end their show by midnight, when Smith's 21st birthday party was to begin. The dancers said Smith and the group wanted the floor to themselves. Smith turned 21 Friday.
The group first began hurling obscenities, Turner said, and then hurled a beer bottle and two ashtrays at the dancers. Turner said one ashtray hit him in the leg.
Turner said that when he and Coney confronted Smith, Smith's friends attacked them. While one group held Turner, a second group began pummeling Coney, according to Turner, 35.
Then, Turner said, he saw the group hold Coney over a railing while the 6-foot-10 Smith smashed a beer bottle against the back of Coney's head. Coney was cut just below the neck.
Both Coney and Turner said Smith then ran out of the club.
``He cut me and he ran,'' Coney said. ``He ran. He just ran.''
Smith, who is staying with his mother, failed to return repeated calls seeking comment. The person who answered the phone said Smith left for another birthday party without returning the calls. Smith also did not show up at a planned photo shoot Friday morning, according to a photographer.
Smith also refused to talk to a reporter sent to the party at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel. Smith shook his head and turned away when the reporter asked him if he would comment about what happened at the bar.
Smith attended the University of Maryland for two years before turning pro. He was named national college player of the year as a sophomore.
The forward from Maury High School now plays for the Golden State Warriors under a three-year, $8.53 million contract. He was the No. 1 pick in the 1995 NBA draft.
According to Coney and Turner, who spoke about what happened from their homes in Norfolk's Ocean View MISCELLANEOUS, this is what led to the fight:
As the dancers prepared for their show around 10:45 p.m., word spread through the club that Smith was in the bar. After drinking some champagne, the group became disorderly and began yelling for the dancers to get off the dance floor, Turner said.
``They wanted us to get the show over by midnight so he could start his party,'' Turner said. ``When we didn't, they became upset.''
Each dancer was to perform for three songs, a routine that frequently stretches past midnight. During Turner's routine, someone from Smith's crowd hurled the ashtrays. Another dancer was performing when someone threw a beer bottle at him, the dancers said.
Turner and Coney said that hasn't happened before at the club.
After the show, Smith and his friends moved to the dance floor and began dancing. Turner and Coney said they went to ask him why he was throwing things at them.
``He said he didn't do it,'' Turner said. ``Then he said, `F--- you.' ''
Turner said he and Carlton left the dance floor.
``That offended me because I had asked him politely,'' Turner said. ``I thought about it, and we went back to ask him again. This time he backed away and one of his friends pushed Carlton.''
Coney shoved back and several people from Smith's crowd grabbed the dancer, Coney and Turner said.
Turner said someone hit him, and he fought back. Turner said several people held him while another group beat Coney.
``They were kicking on him, stomping and beating him,'' Turner said.
Turner was fighting to get free when he saw Smith come through the crowd and smash the bottle over the back of Coney's head, he said.
``I felt a crack behind my head,'' Coney said. ``Then pandemonium broke loose. Everyone started fighting. Everything happened so fast.''
Jones, the police spokeswoman, said Smith was not at the club when officers arrived.
``There isn't any excuse for this,'' Turner said. ``He came there to start trouble. Now, he's going to have to pay the penalty.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Witnesses say Maury High School grad Joseph L. Smith assaulted a
male dancer.
KEYWORDS: ASSAULT by CNB