By Ivan Pereira
The strip club where Sean Bell spent the last hours of his life was shut down last month, the city Department of Health revealed Friday.
The Kalua Cabaret, at 143-08 94th Ave., had many health violations, a DOH spokeswoman said, including an expired permit. The department had warned the strip club's owners about the permit problems in April, but the DOH said they failed to act and the department closed the club May 30.
“The establishment has not yet corrected all violations that were cited at the time of closing,” the DOH said in a statement.
“The Health Department is working with them on their need to comply with the health code and will re-inspect for re-opening once they have documented that the violations have been resolved.”
In addition to the expired permit, the DOH found Kalua Cabaret had a mice infestation and plumbing problems. The club had lost its state liquor license in April as the result of a separate violation.
Community residents and activists have long protested the strip club and have called for its closing since Bell's Nov. 25, 2006 shooting.
Undercover police were investigating the club for suspected drug and prostitution operations on the same night Rockaway was celebrating his bachelor party. Undercover Detective Gescard Isnora said he saw Bell's friend, Joseph Guzman, get into an argument outside the club and heard him say that he was going to get a gun, according to court testimony.
When Isnora and his partners approached Bell, Guzman and friend Trent Benefield for questioning, the bridegroom rammed his sedan into a unmarked police minivan, prompting five of the officers to fire. Bell was killed while his friends were injured in a hail of 50 bullets.
No weapon was ever found.
Isnora, who fired first and shot 11 times, and his partner, Detective Michael Oliver, who fired 31 shots and reloaded, were indicted on manslaughter and reckless endangerment charges in 2007 while Detective Marc Cooper, who fired four times, was charged with reckless endangerment.
Officer Michael Carey, who shot three times, and Detective Paul Headley, who fired one shot, were not indicted.
In April, Queens Criminal Court exonerated the three detectives on all charges, but they, Carey and three other officers at the club were hit with NYPD departmental charges last month.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
