Dallas Swinger Club Raided - twice in a week

[two4youinswva]

Change the rules!

Duncanville officials bolster sex club ban adopted in response to Cherry Pit case.

[sexcupid]

Guess they don't subscribe to the whole "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" attitude....

[fun4Ds]

yeppers, you could always pull that ole stunt. Just change the rules.

[Tom & Bonnie]

My opinion on this is that if the Cherry Pit was in a commercially zoned area for businesses and not in a residential area then this would all be a moot point.

Serious ramifications for other swingers clubs could come about because of the Cherry Pits stance on not moving to a commercial zone. Time will tell

[JustAskJulie]

Originally Posted by Tom & Bonnie

My opinion on this is that if the Cherry Pit was in a commercially zoned area for businesses and not in a residential area then this would all be a moot point.

Serious ramifications for other swingers clubs could come about because of the Cherry Pits stance on not moving to a commercial zone. Time will tell

Agreed! If you want to have a house party, have a house party. If you want to have a business in your home then make sure you are following the proper laws in regards to doing so (whatever that business might be).

[two4youinswva]

I have to agree with the last two posts.

Sometimes we make it easy for them.

[RockyMntSocialClub]

most clubs seem to get into trouble by not following either the zoning laws or the liquor laws. Have a house party or run a business but you cannot have a house party be your business.

[JustAskJulie]

Municipal judge holds off on Duncanville sex club ruling | pegasusnews.com | Dallas / Fort Worth

[JustAskJulie]

The latest is the effort to get rid of The Cherry Pit, It was raided Saturday night by police officers with guns drawn and battering rams to knock down the doors. No arrests were made or citations given.

cbs11tv.com - Police Officers Raid 'Cherry Pit' Swingers Club

Sounds to me like they are just trying to scare them out of business. But, once again if this is in a residential area (in a home) as with many others we have seen they may be asking for trouble.

Other articles detailing the raid:
Cops raid Duncanville swingers' club 3:10 PM CT | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News
Police raid Duncanville swingers' club | WFAA.com | Local News: TV

[cplnuswing]

Interesting. I'm wondering if the City may win the battle but lose the war with this stunt, which I'm guessing will end up costing them mucho $$$ when all is said and done. A TX defense attorney is blogging about it, he's probably not the only one who has caught a whiff of easy money.

Duncanville Police Raid The Cherry Pit :: Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

They should stick with the parking, etc. ordinances that were already on the books and legit, that's all they needed.

[Tom & Bonnie]

One of the ramifications I alluded to in my earlier p[ost is mentioned in this article from Monday Night.

...The city council has adopted an ordinance that any business that collects donations where sexual encounters may occur will now be deemed to be a "Sex Club!"

Way to go Cherry Pit, you have now single handedly fucked it up for any other "legit" club in Duncanville! Business cannot be legally run from your home unless your home is in a commercially zoned area. Another point for anyone considering the same. Calling door fees "donations" is bullshit unless you will readily admit anyone and everyone in without paying. Anytime you have a controlled door for access and you accept money you are acting as a business.

[Pinmonkey]

Cops raid Duncanville swingers' club 3:10 PM CT | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News

Cops raid Duncanville swingers' club

DUNCANVILLE – Police raided a notorious swingers’ club Saturday night, confiscating personal property from more than 50 people who were there.

Duncanville police executed a search warrant at the club, the Cherry Pit, which has been the subject of a Duncanville ordinance that bans sex clubs.

No one was arrested.

“They had guns drawn when they busted down the door,” said Ed Klein, the Cherry Pit’s attorney. “You’d have thought this was some kind of meth lab.”

A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the ordinance was scheduled to be heard this week, but was postponed.

The search warrant alleges violations of the city ordinance, including operating a sex club in a residential neighborhood.

Jim Trulock, 59, and Julie M. Norris, 30, operate the club at their house in the 1300 block of North Cedar Ridge Drive.

City officials have said that the club is a public nuisance that is "detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the city of Duncanville."

Duncanville officials declined to be interviewed this afternoon, but did issue a news release.

“The Cherry Pit, located in a Duncanville neighborhood, is advertised as a swingers’ club and has been previously cited for violating the City of Duncanville Code of Ordinances,” it said.

Mr. Trulock has received 10 citations, five for operating a sex club and five for operating a sexually oriented business without a license, city public information officer Tonya Lewis said.

Duncanville police said this afternoon that they were still cataloguing the evidence collected. The city wasn’t releasing details about what was found, but Mr. Klein said wallets, credit cards and purses were confiscated.

Mr. Klein said guests were photographed, and police took their work information before letting them go early Sunday morning.

Holy Cow. The police took pictures, work information, purses, wallets, drivers licenses and credit cards from those attending? This really makes me think twice about even going to one.

[two42lovers]

The idea of "home of the free" is by and large a farce, isn't it? Constitutional guarantees are pretty much meaningless, they can and will shut you down. Doesn't matter what happens when you get to court - you will be outed, regardless. Look for the police to see to it each and every name who was there is published. They are looking to squeeze these people out of the community.

[socolais]

I don't see how "work information" of the party guests is applicable to the Duncanville case. I think this may be a "jack-booted-thug" intimidation tactic by the city council and is likely to backfire on them to make their case more difficult in court. On the otherhand, the city council can "afford" their liabilities in this situation much better than the party guests can tolerate the procedural hassles.

[funcpl4life]

Originally Posted by Pinmonkey

Holy Cow. The police took pictures, work information, purses, wallets, drivers licenses and credit cards from those attending? This really makes me think twice about even going to one.

Are you required to give information to a police officer (name?) in Texas?

In my state, "I respectfully exercise my right to remain silent and I do not give you permission to search anything."

Mr. FC4L, they might search anyway but it can throw them a wrench later