Here’s how a jury ruled in club’s ‘intimidation’ suit against the City of Myrtle Beach
An Horry County jury sided with a former local business owner who sued the City of Myrtle Beach, saying the city interfered with the sale of the owner’s club.
The court awarded Henry Brewington, who owned Levelz Bar & Grille that once occupied 515 Ninth Ave. N., $500,000 in damages last month before adjusting the amount to $300,000 after the city requested the verdict be reduced to comply with the Tort Claims Act, which limits reimbursements to $300,000.
The 2017 lawsuit states that in 2014, Horry County and the City of Myrtle Beach began a joint campaign to shut down businesses deemed undesirable, and Levelz was among those targeted. The business closed in 2015.
The campaign culminated with Virginia Brewington, Henry’s wife, filing a complaint in January 2015 about the business being “harassed” by police, according to the 2017 lawsuit.
The Brewingtons decided to sell their business as a result of Horry County and the City of Myrtle Beach’s “harassment and intimidation tactics,” the lawsuit states. It also mentions that Natalie Litsey, a potential buyer, decided not to proceed with purchasing the business after being questioned by the city.
Mark Kruea, spokesperson for the City of Myrtle Beach, declined to comment.
The Brewingtons had hired security and installed surveillance cameras in order to properly maintain the business, the original lawsuit stated.
Timeline of police ‘harassment’
- It began in October 2014 with Myrtle Beach police officers doing walk-throughs of the club to “keep check.” On Oct. 14, police found a patron carrying marijuana and arrested them, the lawsuit states.
- That same month, the city discovered Brewington had served sparklers in a drink special and received a suspended fine, according to the lawsuit. Following that, an administration violation was issued due to the sale of liquor after hours in December.
- The lawsuit also states on Jan. 25, during a walkthrough, an officer found a patron in the restroom in possession of marijuana.
- Also, on that day, police officers arrested three people outside of the business. Two people were arrested because of a physical altercation and another person was taken into police custody for public intoxication, according to the lawsuit.
Police officer Lisa Robertson scheduled a meeting with the Brewingtons, which they believed was in response to their complaint. Instead, Roberston informed the Brewingtons that the city and county were working to shut down their business.
Three days later, the Brewingtons received a letter in the mail from the Horry County Solicitor’s Office deeming Levelz a public nuisance, accusing the business of being a site for possession and sale of drugs and for “continuous breach of peace.”
The letter gave the Brewingtons 10 days to “abate the nuisance.”
On Feb. 15 — 10 days after the Brewingtons received the letter from the solicitor’s office — a man was shot and killed in front of the building next door to Levelz. Police later determined that the shooter had been hired to kill the victim and that the shooting was not connected to the operation of the business.
Then Horry County filed a motion for temporary injunction.
The Brewingtons decided to sell their business in response to Horry County and the City of Myrtle Beach’s “harassment and intimidation tactics,” the lawsuit states.
Natalie Litsey signed a contract to purchase the business for $150,000.
The city contacted Litsey to “interrogate” her regarding the type of business she intended to open in the former Levelz building. She was also questioned about her relationship to the Brewingtons. The city told Litsey that Levelz had been a “problem location.”
This story was originally published July 12, 2021 at 6:58 AM.
