FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          CR
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1996                        (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

                                 
      TWO LOUISIANA NIGHTCLUBS AGREE WITH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
             TO OPEN THEIR DOORS TO AFRICAN AMERICANS


     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A Louisiana nightclub that was sued for
refusing to admit an African American prosecutor and a Louisiana
bar that denied service to an African American teacher each agreed
today to end their discriminatory policies.
     In two separate agreements reached today with the Justice
Department, the owners of La Poussiere in Breaux Bridge and the
C'est Ma Vie Lounge in Broussard admitted to unlawfully refusing to
serve African Americans because of their race.
     "Some people believe blatant discrimination is a thing of the
past.  It isn't.  These cases serve as a reminder that the fight
for simple justice is not yet over," said Assistant Attorney
General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick.  "America must have zero
tolerance for racial discrimination."
La Poussiere
     Last April, the Justice Department alleged the owners of La
Poussiere violated Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by
turning away a black prosecutor, Zaldwaynaka (Zee) Scott, and her
white colleagues, Helene Greenwald and Matthew Bettenhausen. 
      According to the agreement, filed today in U.S. District
Court in Lafayette, the three prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys
office in Chicago, who had been attending a conference in New
Orleans, visited the Lafayette area to listen to Cajun music.  When
they arrived at La Poussiere on April 16, 1994, two of the
prosecutors remained in the car as Greenwald walked to the entrance
to see if the club was open.  The person admitting people to the
club said that it was, and that there was a two dollar cover
charge.  
     When Greenwald returned with Scott, a Shreveport native who
prosecutes criminal and civil rights cases, the woman at the door
said they could not enter because the club was hosting a private
party.  After Greenwald confronted her, the woman admitted that
they were not allowed inside because of Scott's race.  
     The government subsequently sent two pairs of FBI agents, one
white couple and one black couple, to the nightclub the following
July and found that the black couple was denied entry while the
white couple was admitted after paying a nominal cover charge.
     Under the agreement, the owners of La Poussiere:
    admit they have unlawfully excluded African Americans,
     including the three Assistant U.S. Attorneys; 

    will no longer discriminate;

    will undergo training on civil rights issues; and,

    will publish an advertisement in a local newspaper and post a
     sign outside its door emphasizing that the nightclub is open
     to all members of the public.

     Patrick noted that the three victims, who filed a separate
suit, are negotiating a separate monetary settlement with the
nightclub owners.
C'est Ma Vie
     In the second agreement, filed together with a lawsuit today
in U.S. District Court in Lafayette, the owner of the C'est Ma Vie
Lounge in Broussard agreed to stop discriminating against African
Americans, train its staff about civil rights law, and advertise
that it is open to everyone.
     According to the agreement, the owner of the bar, Dennis
Broussard, admitted he had denied service to an African-American
teacher at a local school because of her race.  Patrick noted that
the teacher, Carmen West, was visiting the lounge last March 25
with two other teachers following a parent-faculty volleyball
tournament.
      Upon arriving at the bar, the owner informed the three that
they could only get drinks to go because he did not serve "colored
people".  After West complained to the local police, the town's
police chief, Irving Flugence, who is also African American,
returned to the club with West.  At that time, Broussard confirmed
his policy and acknowledged that West's race was the reason he had
not served her and her companions.
     "While most bars and nightclubs in this area serve people
regardless of their skin color, unfortunately some do not," said
Michael D. Skinner, U.S. Attorney in Lafayette.  "Our office will
continue to vigorously enforce the civil rights laws."
     West did not file a separate private suit in the case. 
     The agreements must be approved by the U.S. District Court.
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95-048