4 Bars Face Charges for Permitting Smoking

The city attorney’s office filed criminal complaints against the owners of four bars for permitting smoking in violation of state law, officials said.

On Friday night, members of the city’s Workplace Smoking Task Force conducted an undercover investigation at nine bars to verify compliance with the 9-month-old prohibition on smoking in bars, said Deputy City Atty. Adam Radinsky on Tuesday.

Radinsky said four of the bars visited were knowingly permitting customers to smoke: J.P.’s Bar & Grill, the Cock ‘N’ Bull, the Speakeasy and the Daily Pint.

Arraignment for the four is scheduled for Oct. 1 in Santa Monica Municipal Court.

Each owner faces penalties and fines of $270. Because the owner of J.P.’s has already been convicted once this year of the same offense, she may be assessed a total of $540 in penalties and fines.