Milo's Cantina closes permanently in the aftermath of viral bouncer altercation

Geoffrey Wilson | Poughkeepsie Journal

Milo's Cantina has permanently closed in the wake of the violent altercation at the bar on May 31 that was captured in a viral video.

While the State Liquor Authority accepted a plea deal from the Poughkeepsie bar which included a $7,000 fine and a 60-day liquor license suspension, the business will not reopen.

"Unfortunately, all employees lost their jobs as Milo's is permanently closed," owner Jeremy Phillips said via text message.

The City of Poughkeepsie bar submitted a plea of conditional no contest to the State Liquor Authority on June 25, withdrawing a previous not guilty plea and proposing the fine and retroactive suspension set to end Aug. 12, according to a letter submitted to the authority by Brian Rudner of Sayegh Law in Carmel.

"The licensee has taken all appropriate steps to ensure that the incident of May 31 is never repeated, including but not limited to the suspension and/or termination of the employees working at the premises during the May 31 incident," the letter read.

But Phillips confirmed the bar will not reopen once the suspension ends.

A video published to YouTube on June 2 appears to show a bouncer at Milo's putting a customer, Mike Boyce, into a chokehold before slamming him to the ground. City police responded to reports of the incident at a little before midnight on May 31 and collected interviews with the different parties who would later appear in the video.

The State Liquor Authority suspended the bar's liquor license effective June 13 and charged the licensee with operating a disorderly premises, failure to supervise, employing unlicensed security guards and failure to conform to the terms of liquor license application.

Rudner wrote that the Phillips has operated several licensed locations without issue prior to the incident.

Boyce, a tattoo artist who is also the owner of Queen City Tattoo, initially declined to proceed with criminal charges, police said. But he later told the Journal he hired attorney Joseph O'Connor of Mainetti, Mainetti and O'Connor. The lawyer said he hopes to work with police to give them "information that will be sufficient enough to press a whole number of charges."

No criminal charges have been filed, according to police.

SUSPENSION: Milo's liquor license suspended by state following bar altercation

VIRAL VIDEO: Police: Milo's Cantina viral video shows effect social media can have on investigations

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION: Investigation into Milo’s Cantina bouncer brawl dropped, victim declines criminal charges: Police

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4882; Twitter: Geoff_LW