Superior Court Judge Leon Stanback Jr. has ordered the closure of Dockside Dolls, an exotic dance club here, until after a jury trial in June on a nuisance-abatement lawsuit, The Burlington Times-News reported.
The closure, pending trial, is in response to arguments by the county that dancers at the club continue to engage in illicit activities, the newspaper said. A police officer testified in February that dancers touched him inappropriately during private performances behind closed doors. And because the club is under a court order prohibiting dancers from erotically touching customers for money, Judge Stanback found the club in contempt of court and fined Dockside Dolls $1,000, according to the report.
Then, recently, the county argued that was not enough. The club should be closed, because that would be the only remedy that would prevent illegal activities from continuing, the Times-News reported. Otherwise the burden will be on the state to keep sending undercover officers to the club to bring new evidence, said county attorney Randall Reavis.
Dockside Dolls attorney J. Michael Murray argued to the court that since the latest fine and charge were imposed, the club has closed the private rooms where undercover officers reported the improper sexual conduct had occurred.
“The only thing that has been going on (since then) is clearly constitutional protected erotic dancing,” Murray said, to no avail.
