THE ARISTOCRAT Hall's events to end at midnight

The chief says detectives believe the slaying was retaliation.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Police Chief Robert E. Bush Jr. wants those who rent The Aristocrat for parties to clear out at midnight and thereby lessen the chances of trouble.
The rear parking lot of the private hall on Francisca Avenue was the scene of a homicide around 2:45 a.m. Sunday. The victim, 28-year-old Cortland R. Brown of Willis Avenue, and his friend were arriving for a party after attending a rap concert, police said.
Bush said Tuesday that detectives believe Brown may have been involved in a double homicide in May 2004 and that he was shot in retaliation. The chief said detectives have "several strong leads" on who killed Brown.
Midnight deadline
Bush said that, in an effort to prevent The Aristocrat from becoming a "haven for trouble," he spoke with those who lease the North Side hall for events and also rent it out. He wants renters to obtain a dance permit, which will end events at midnight and not attract people after the bars close.
Judy Cartwright, a spokesman for The Aristocrat, said the hall will no longer rent past midnight and will require dance permits. She said a Youngstown State University fraternity rented the place Saturday night as a fund-raising party.
Bush said the fraternity had wanted a liquor permit for the party but he denied it. Dance permits basically cover any party open to the public.
Cartwright emphasized that the homicide had nothing to do with The Aristocrat -- the shooter could have been waiting for the victim anywhere. She said two deputy sheriffs provided security for the crowd of 300 or so and city police had checked on the party.
Bush said more security should have been used at The Aristocrat.
The chief said that, by contrast, there was plenty of security at Edward W. Powers Auditorium for Saturday night's Rapfest 2005 and the crowd was orderly. The concert ended at 11 p.m.
Promoters of the rap concert had no connection to the after-party.
Lt. Rod Foley, commander of the Vice Squad, said a flier invited those who attended the G-Unit rappers concert to come to the after-party at The Aristocrat.
More security
Foley agreed with Bush that more security was needed at the party, likely eight to 10 officers for a crowd of 300 or so.
"Things can get out of hand when young people are out late. We always get a spike in calls for fights after the bars close," Foley said. "We live in a violent culture."
Foley said members of the Vice Squad checked on the after-party three or four times, the last around 11:30 p.m., and then got busy downtown with an arrest.
Foley said he is working with the finance department, which handles dance permits, to clarify the ordinance. He said some who buy a yearly dance permit for their own events believe it covers anyone else who rents from them.
Foley said he wants people who apply for a dance or alcohol permit for an event to give two weeks' notice so the Vice Squad has time to check out the request.