Mezzaluna Under Fire, Owner Says

The owner of Mezzaluna spoke out Tuesday against what he called an unwarranted backlash against him and the restaurant in the wake of the O.J. Simpson trial.

Karim Souki, president and owner of Mezza Brentwood Corp., said he felt compelled to respond to recent “phone calls, threats [and] protestations” stemming from quotes attributed to Mezzaluna employees or management and from computer-generated “guilty” signs posted outside the restaurant.

Souki said he had tried to answer a “stupid” question the media asked about what the staff would do if Simpson came calling.

“Mr. Simpson was found not guilty,” he said. “Discriminating against him is against the law. We are a public place, a restaurant. We do not make the laws or enforce them. We just live under them.

“In this context, if Mr. Simpson came to the restaurant, he would be served just like he is served by the gas company and by Southern California Edison,” Souki said.