PRINCETON – A Virginia man is suing a Mercer County strip club after he says he was nearly killed during a fight at the establishment.
Christopher Todd Miller filed his complaint against Southern Cabaret Platinum, located in Bluefield, W.Va., in Mercer Circuit Court. BMC Café Inc., M2M Properties Inc., owner Mahesh Patel and three unknown employees or agents of the defendant companies are named in the suit.
Miller, who lives in Bluefield, Va., says he was a guest at the club on Dec. 9, 2016, when a dispute arose that turned into a fight involving several people at the club.
“During the course of the fight … the plaintiff was struck, knocked unconscious and laid prostrate on the floor,” the complaint states. “While the plaintiff was unconscious lying on the floor he was totally defenseless and unable to protect himself.
“While the plaintiff was lying on the floor totally defenseless, there was no agent or employee of the defendants that sought to protect or guard the plaintiff from further harm.”
He claims one male and one female employee – and possibly others – who took no action during or after the fight to safeguard Miller while he was unconscious.
“An individual named Tony Greene came along and stabbed the plaintiff in the abdomen with a weapon, believed to be a knife,” the complaint states, saying the stabbing “perforated his liver and caused life-threatening blood loss as well as a variety of other internal injuries.”
Miller says he has undergone several surgeries to treat and correct the injuries to the tune of almost $256,000.
Greene, who lives in Bluefield, W.Va., was charged with five counts of attempted murder and four counts of malicious wounding related to the fight that night at the club. In January, he was found guilty of two charges of attempting to commit a felony. He was sentenced to two to six years in prison.
Miller accuses the defendants of negligence and gross negligence for failing to take reasonable care and precautions to keep him and other patrons safe.
“Prior to December 9, 2016, there had been numerous instances of fights and violence at the Southern Cabaret Platinum, many of which involved the police being called to the club,” the complaint states.
Miller seeks joint and several compensatory damages – both compensatory and punitive – as well as attorney fees, court costs, pre- and post-judgment interests and other relief.
Patel and his chain of strip clubs have been named as defendants in a handful of cases in recent years. At least nine former Southern X employees – not just dancers – have accused the Patel and the companies of violating state wage laws. All except one of the plaintiffs have been settled out of court and/or had the case dismissed.
Miller is being representing by Princeton attorney Harold B. Wolfe III. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Mark Wills.
Mercer Circuit Court case number 18-C-260