Bouncer at downtown club charged with punching patron into a coma

A bouncer at the Place, 2 Broad St., faces arraignment next month for a July incident in which he allegedly put a customer into a coma for four days.

A Boston Municipal Court clerk-magistrate decided earlier this month to summon Kevin Blackmore, 37, for arraignment on Oct. 5 on a charge of assault and battery after hearing allegations that that Blackmore punched the man and that he fell backwards, cracking his head open on the sidewalk early on July 19.

Blackmore was on bail at the time on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly threatening somebody with a gun, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports. That charge was dropped in August, however, when the alleged victim disappeared, the DA's office adds.

At a Boston Licensing Board hearing today, the Place's lawyer, Karen Simao, said the evidence would show the patron provoked Blackmore, was trying to punch him and that Blackmore struck back only in self defense. Blackmore did not attend today's hearing and Simao would not let employees of her client testify because the patron is getting ready to sue the Place.

The victim, a friend of his and police showed no reticence about testifying today, although the victim said he could not say what happened because he has no memories from shortly before the incident until after he woke up from the coma. He said he continues to suffer problems: He lost his sense of smell and has headaches and dizziness.

According to a police account, officers arrived at closing time to find a large crowd around an unconscious man lying on the ground with a laceration to his face. Investigation showed the man had been ejected from the Place, had tried to get back in and was throwing punches when Blackmore punched him in the face, once, knocking him to the ground.

However, police said that when they arrived, Blackmore was nowhere to be found. Other workers "said he had left; I didn't ask why" an officer told the licensing board.

"Did you find that peculiar?" board Chairwoman Nicole Murati Ferrer asked. "Yes," the officer replied. The officer added that despite the fact a patron was lying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding, nobody from the establishment was attempting to help him - all remained inside.

The victim's friend denied the man had been kicked out or was throwing any punches - and he said he was positive because he was standing not far away and had had nothing at all to drink that night.

The friend said he saw the victim come out and walk along a sort of glass wall. He said the victim appeared to be exchanging words with bouncers, although he could not tell about what. When the victim approached what appeared to be an emergency exit, up two steps, he said. Blackmore swung the door open violently, smacking the victim in the chest and, then, he said, Blackmore immediately swung and punched his friend in the face.

"He smashed his head on the bricks," he said. Then Blackmore went back inside and locked the door - and disappeared behind a group of other bouncers - as blood poured out of the back of his friend's head and people began calling 911. Meanwhile, his friend began vomiting and people around him began to debate whether they should risk rolling him over so he wouldn't suffocate on his own vomit. Just then, he said, EMTs arrived.

The licensing board decides Thursday what action, if any, to take against the Place for the incident.

Innocent, etc.