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A police investigation was launched earlier this month, when a video of a bouncer at Milo’s on Main Street went viral after it was captured on a cellphone video by another customer. In the video, the bouncer is seen putting the patron - later identified as Mike Boyce - in a chokehold and kicking him.
Police launched an investigation into the incident, which concluded when Boyce “declined to proceed with criminal charges,” police investigators said in a statement.
Following an investigation of their own, the New York State Liquor Authority announced that it has suspended Milo’s liquor license, citing the fact that the bouncer in the video is not a licensed security guard, nor is he in the bar’s liquor authority application, which claims the bar would not employ such a position.
Milo's has been charged by the NYSLA with operating a disorderly premise, failing to properly supervise and employing a security guard. During the suspension, Milo’s cannot sell any liquor under penalty of further charges. The suspension will not be lifted until the NYSLA permits it, or a court petitions them to remove it.
In the video - which has more than 145,000 views on YouTube and nearly 2 million views on Facebook - the bouncer could be heard shouting “I will put you to sleep” while the manager stood by as the bouncer struggled with Boyce on the floor. She was also caught on camera arguing with the man recording the video before locking the man doing the video outside the bar.
Boyce’s wife said that he met with friends for drinks and when he attempted to head outside to collect money for the balance of their bill, the situation escalated with the manager and bouncer.
While he was locked out, the videographer caught the bouncer kicking the man several times while he was down before pulling the patron up and continuing the confrontation.
“So as some of you may have seen in conversation, my husband Mike Boyce was assaulted by the bouncer at Milo's Cantina for no good reason,” Boyce's wife, Jade, posted on Facebook. “The kind of assault you see where someone accidentally dies from strangulation. I’ve since reached out to the owner, which also is the owner of Schatzi's Pub & Bier Garden of Poughkeepsie next door, with no response.”
“He was then taken to the ground, put in a choke hold for several minutes, kneed and punched in the head and robbed by the staff and held behind locked doors where no one could help him, all visible in the video,” his wife noted.
The complete Youtube video can be seen here. (Warning: graphic content.)
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