Venice restaurateur loses part of finger in scuffle with man he’d ordered out of his cafe
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – A Venice cafe owner had part of a finger bitten off during a scuffle with a man he had ordered out of his restaurant.
The Los Angeles County district attorney said in a statement that 31-year-old transient Jonathan Shain Lemmons pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one felony count each of mayhem and making criminal threats.
The owner, 72-year-old Clabe Hartley, lost part of his left hand’s ring finger during Saturday’s confrontation.
The trouble began after Lemmons allegedly began acting aggressively at the Cow’s End restaurant near Venice Beach.
Police say several diners stepped in to help when Hartley was attacked.
Although he was bleeding profusely, Hartley says he didn’t notice he’d lost part of his finger until the diners pointed it out.
The finger was recovered but doctors were unable to reattach it.
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