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

The criminal investigation into the incident at a City of Poughkeepsie bar has ended after the man shown being choked and pummeled in a viral YouTube video refused to pursue charges, police said.

Mike Boyce, whom the bouncer at Milo’s Cantina appears to put into a chokehold, has “declined to proceed with criminal charges,” according to a press release from Detective Lt. Matt Clark.

However, Boyce told the Journal on Wednesday he hired attorney Joseph O'Connor of Mainetti, Mainetti and O'Connor to take the case and potentially pursue charges. O'Connor said he hopes to work with police to give them "information that will be sufficient enough to press a whole number of charges."

Attorney Anthony Cillis of Jonna Spilbor Law, which is representing Milo's Cantina, said he believes Boyce's decision to not pursue charges was only "a part of" the reason the case was dropped. He said it also seems police have decided there were "no criminal acts worthy of pursuing.

"A million people saw a snippet of the incident," Cillis said, "but what they didn't see is the full incident."

What the video shows

The video, which has garnered more than 125,000 YouTube views as of Wednesday afternoon, shows a bouncer at the taco and tequila bar throwing Boyce in a chokehold first standing up, then down on the floor.

Clark has said what led to the altercation was an "unpaid bar tab."

Boyce, a tattoo artist who is also the owner of Queen City Tattoo, had told the Journal he was there with friends for a drink after dinner when the altercation occurred before midnight Friday. The video was shot via smartphone by one of Boyce’s friends and posted on social media.

In an interview with The Poughkeepsie Journal on Monday, Boyce said he and friends first ordered a flight of tequilas for $200 and a second round at $40. Boyce said the altercation started soon after.

According to a post from Jade Boyce’s Facebook page, her husband, short of cash, wanted to go outside and get more cash for the balance and the manager and staff regarded the situation as if Mike Boyce was not going to pay.

Mike Boyce told the Journal he paid a bill of $280.

Jack Howland: jhowland@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4870; Twitter: @jhowl04