Posts Tagged ‘david j. butler’
“Men’s Parties” 911 Caller: “They Didn’t Want to Call the Police”
It’s been over a month since a man died inside an underground sex club at 1618 14th Street NW. The club, operated by David J. Butler and the D.C. Wrestling Club, had been throwing near-nightly “Men’s Parties” in Logan Circle for years. The party came to a halt on the morning of Oct. 4, when one reveler died of “blunt impact injury to the head” on the club’s stairs.
Forty-five days later, the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner says that the “manner of death” in the case—which determines whether a death came as a result of a homicide, suicide, accident, or some other cause—is still pending.
Today, D.C. police released a 911 call made from outside the sex club on the morning of Oct. 4. The call, which originated from one of the club’s patrons, points to one possible contributing factor in the man’s death—that party organizers allegedly hesitated to call an ambulance:
The full transcript of the call is after the jump.
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What Exactly Happens At A “Wrestling Club”?
A sign on a nondescript building at the intersection of 14th and Corcoran Streets NW has no doubt caused its share of confusion. Here’s what it says: “‘D.C. Wrestling Club, Inc. remains open for business, however there will be no Men’s Parties until further notice.”
Passersby are now aware that the building has got wrestling, but no parties. What the hell does that mean?
Photo: Men’s Parties “Closed Until Further Notice”
I happened to pass the “Men’s Parties” house at 1618 14th Street NW this morning, so I took a shot of the sign that’s now posted prominently outside the sex club:
The signage helps “Men’s Parties” come into compliance with yesterday’s court order, which requires the club—and the nonprofit organization behind it, the “D.C. Wrestling Club”—to temporarily cease holding events, stop advertising, and post this sign five feet from the ground on the club’s main entrance, with lettering no less than 1 inch tall.
District Gets Restraining Order Against “Men’s Parties” Sex Club
Today, the District of Columbia secured a temporary restraining order against “Men’s Parties,” the underground sex club operating out of 1618 14th Street NW. The District filed suit against the owner of the property (1618 14th Street LLC), the club’s manager (David J. Butler), and its nonprofit front organization (the D.C. Wrestling Club, Inc.) on Oct. 14.
For now, the D.C. Wrestling Club has been ordered to stop partying, stop advertising, and replace its purposefully nondescript business entrance with some interesting signage:
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D.C. Police Describe “Men’s Parties” Location: Used Condoms, Glory Holes, and a Crucifix
On Wednesday, the District of Columbia filed suit to shut down “Men’s Parties,” the underground male sex club operating at 1618 14th Street NW. The lawsuit’s three defendants—David J. Butler, 1618 14th Street LLC, and the D.C. Wrestling Club—face charges of “opperation of a business without a basic business license” and “use of premises for business without appropriate certificate of occupancy.”
The initial documents in the case offer a glimpse into the club’s secretive activities, as well as additional information concerning the fatal accident that occurred inside the club on the morning of October 4th.
D.C. Files Lawsuit Against “Men’s Parties”
Yesterday, the District of Columbia filed suit against “Men’s Parties,” the underground male sex club located at 1618 14th Street NW. The club has operated for decades in Logan Circle the D.C. area—through fire, allegations of unsafe sexual conditions, and most recently, a member’s death from an accidental head injury inside the club.
According to Erica Stanley, deputy communications director in the Mayor’s Office, “The District of Columbia believes that the activities occurring at the property located at 1618 14th Street, NW violate the laws of the District of Columbia in that an illegal business entity is operating at the premises. The District has filed a lawsuit to enjoin the business from continuing to operate.”
Steep Price: Gay Sex Club Closes After Fatal Injury
Throwing in the Towels: Men’s club death leaves city grasping for answers.
Early in the morning of Oct. 4, a member of a private Logan Circle “men’s social club” fell to his death. According to a D.C. police report, the 47-year-old man was discovered in the stairwell leading to the basement of 1618 14th St. NW, the victim of “blunt impact injury of head.” Police believe the man may have tumbled down the stairs; the organizer of the club told the Washington Blade that the man likely fell on a “cement floor,” where he “possibly hit his head on a metal pipe or a brick wall.”
The man’s injury was sustained during the regular activities of the club, which include nightly gay sex events called “Men’s Parties,” as well as meetings of the “Jack Off Enthusiasts of Washington and Baltimore.” The accident has drawn public scrutiny over the private meetings, as well as a defense: Following the death, the club’s organizer told police that his establishment provides “a safe place for gay men to have consensual sex.”
How does a club meant to provide a “safe place” end up hosting a member’s death? By working off a creative definition of “safe.”
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