Rodman named in new lawsuit against Josh Slocum’s

Deepa Bharath

SANTA ANA -- If his noise violation fines don’t, Dennis Rodman’s legal

bills might break a record or two.

Adding to criminal misdemeanor charges and a civil suit brought by the

city of Newport Beach, an Irvine resident filed a lawsuit Wednesday

against Dennis Rodman and Josh Slocum’s seafood restaurant, alleging that

he was beaten up by a bouncer employed by the Newport Beach restaurant

for no apparent reason.

According to attorney Ned Reilly, his client, Mike Kelso, 25, was at

the restaurant the night of March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, when a bouncer

at the restaurant shoved him over a glass table and punched him in the

face.

Reilly said Kelso was “knocked out” and suffered several broken bones,

including a fractured nose, at least four cracked teeth and serious

permanent vision problems that have forced him out of his job.

“He’s had to move away from Newport Beach and move in with his mother

in Irvine because of that,” Reilly said.

The suit names Taylor Finegold Inc., Josh Slocum’s restaurant, Random

Holdings Inc., Dennis Rodman and Kevin Finegold.

Reilly said he had trouble locating all of the owners of the

restaurant and did not get cooperation from the restaurant to settle the

issue.

“We were left with no other choice but to sue,” he said.

Neither Rodman nor his attorney, Paul Meyer, were available for

comment Thursday.

The city sued Rodman and the restaurant on Coast Highway last month

seeking to stop live music, dancing and overcrowding. Restaurant

employees claim they have not had live music or dancing in the last two

months.

Rodman is also facing criminal misdemeanor charges from the Orange

County district attorney, alleging use of sound amplifiers without city

permits at his Newport Beach home.

Kelso had also filed a battery complaint with the Newport Beach Police

Department. According to the March 17 report, Kelso said he was walking

across the restaurant’s bar, tripped over someone’s shoe and bumped into

a bouncer who turned around and punched him in the eye.

The report said he was treated at and released from Hoag Hospital and

that the bouncer was not named.

A court date has not been set for the hearing.