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Mamajuana Cafe Beating Victim Will 'Never Be The Same,' Family Says

By Carla Zanoni | January 25, 2012 1:17pm

UPPER MANHATTAN — The family of a man beaten into a coma at controversial nightspot Mamajuana Cafe described Tuesday how he was viciously attacked by drunk patrons.

The emotional testimony was given as Community Board 12 refused to back an application for a new liquor license for a sister restaurant of the Inwood joint.

“He will never be the same again,” Lisa Veloz said about her brother Edwin, 23, who has been in a coma since he was beaten on Jan. 8 during a birthday celebration at the Dyckman Street restaurant.

The Veloz family, including cousins who were at the eatery with the victim at the time of the incident, accused Mamajuana Cafe's management of serving the suspects alcohol well after they were visibly intoxicated.

Community Board 12 voted down a resolution to recommend the approval of Mamajuana Cafe's liquor license for a new high-end Italian restaurant at 1 Nagle Avenue.
Community Board 12 voted down a resolution to recommend the approval of Mamajuana Cafe's liquor license for a new high-end Italian restaurant at 1 Nagle Avenue.
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“They were served shot after shot after shot,” a family spokeswoman told the community board, adding that the bouncers added insult to injury when they mishandled the aftermath of the melee. 

“After the fight, management was talking about how far to take the body away from the restaurant," the spokeswoman said. "And when a cousin intervened, he was asked, ‘Do you want the same thing to happen to you?’"

The victim's sister added, “This could have been avoided.”

Veloz said her brother is still being treated at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where his “family has been standing vigil” while doctors wait for swelling on his brain to go down enough to test his major brain functions. 

Mamajuana's owner had gone before CB12 Tuesday night as they sought a license for a new "high end" Italian restaurant they plan on Nagle Avenue.

Owner Carlos Osorio said Wednesday morning he disagreed with the victim’s family’s account of the incident, stating that restaurant management did everything in its power to care for the victim after he was punched.

He said they called 911 and waited with him for the ambulance.

If the suspects were inebriated at the time of the attack, he added, it was likely they had been drunk at another establishment before coming to Mamajuana. 

“This is all about building a case for a lawsuit,” he said of the family’s accusations.

“They have to create a scene, a commotion. This family has been looking for a lawsuit and money from the first day.

“I pray every day for the kid to recover,” Osorio continued. “That’s what they have to focus on now.” 

The community board's economic development committee had previously voted in favor of the liquor license proposal. The full board rejected that resolution 19 to 11.

The board voted 19 to 11 in opposition of its economic development committee’s resolution in support of the new liquor license for the proposed 1 Nagle Avenue location after hearing the public testimony.

A representative from the NYPD's 34th Precinct said police had no opposition to the application and said that the restaurant owners had been working with the precinct since the attack. 

The board’s economic development committee had asked that the owners would install soundproofing and conduct soundproof testing, hire indoor and outdoor security, and agree to not provide valet parking for patrons. 

Board members questioned the business plan of the restaurant before voting no. 

“Why does a 'high-end' Italian restaurant need that much security and to stay open until 4 a.m.?” asked board member Harlan Pruden

The future of the proposed restaurant is now in the hands of the State Liquor Authority. Although the community board serves in an advisory role, the SLA has final say on liquor license approvals.

Osorio said he was not surprised to hear the board's vote, but said it would not deter him from opening the new restaurant. 

"This is nothing new to me," he said.

"They have always voted no to all of my businesses. It’s only a recommendation to the SLA.

"But I am part of this community and still want to work with the community and community board with any recommendations they have.