Man remains in induced coma three weeks after brutal attack at Fenway bar

A man found unconscious and covered in blood outside the Baseball Tavern early on May 1 is slowly getting better, but remains in a medically induced coma, a homicide detective investigating the case said this morning.

Sgt. Det. Richard Daley spoke at a hearing of the Boston Licensing Board, which will decide Thursday whether the bar, at 1270 Boylston St., could have prevented the attack that sent Robert McLaughlin, 27, of Swampscott, to Brigham and Women's hospital. It was one of two hearings the board held today on violations at the sports bar.

Daley, called in because of the severity of McLaughlin's injuries, and Sgt. Thomas Leahy, who also investigated the incident, offered no details on how McLaughlin wound up lying on the street in front of the bar around 1:05 a.m.

A bar manager acknowledged that McLaughlin was punched repeatedly inside the bar by a group of men, but said he walked out of the bar on his own - accompanied by bouncers trying to keep the men from continuing to punch him - and that he had no blood on him when he exited onto the street.

The manager said bar bouncers quickly sprang into action when a fight erupted near the bar. "There were a bunch of men throwing punches at [McLaughlin]," he said. The bouncers separated McLaughlin from his attackers and managed to get him outside even thought at least one of the men started punching one of the bouncers in the back in an effort to get at McLaughlin.

The manager said he grabbed that man as McLaughlin went outside. "I have no idea what happened outside," he said.

The board will also decide Thursday whether the bar deserved punishment for an incident on April 2, in which detectives found three underage men - one just 18 - drinking Bud Lights. All three said they just walked in. One said a doorman offered to let him in without questions for $20; another said he was made the same offer but talked the doorman down to $10.

Bar attorney Dennis Quilty acknowledged "the horrible situation" and said the bar had fired both the manager on duty and the doorman.