While Black and Blue Restaurant announced its closure in February, an attempted murder case — one of the 19 alleged criminal incidents that preceded the bar-restaurant-night club’s departure — is heading to trial next week.
Twin brothers from Lancaster, Isaac and Isaiah Clark, initially were arrested in connection with the Halloween 2022 shooting that left a man legally dead twice, according to court documents, before he awoke after a lengthy stay at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.
Detectives later identified Isaac Rashad Clark as the shooter based on a distinctive tattoo the shooter had as well as numerous photos and videos taken of the costume contest taking place at the bar that night, according to court records.
Prosecutors allege the shooting stemmed from a fight that happened between a group of people there with the victim and members of the suspect’s party, according to a court filing.
“Later that evening, there was an altercation between members of each group; specifically, a woman from defendant’s party hit victim’s cousin on the back of the head. At some point, the interactions between defendant and victim became hostile,” according to sworn statements in court records.
Security broke up the fight, but the altercation continued into the parking lot.
“When victim walked toward defendant, defendant produced a firearm from his waistband and fired four shots at the victim from approximately 10 to 15 feet away. Three bullets struck the victim; two in the chest, and one grazed his arm,” according to a motion from the prosecution arguing why the case should not be dismissed.
“Victim passed away twice that evening and eventually woke up from a coma in the hospital,” according to the prosecutor’s motion, which stated in May that the victim still suffers numerous physical challenges from the October 2022 shooting, including the loss of a lung.
Detectives reported that Isaiah’s sedan was seen driving westbound on Soledad Canyon Road away from the scene of the shooting, shortly after it happened, according to court records.
In its argument for dismissal of the charge, the defense wrote, “Deputies later observed surveillance footage that indicated (the victim) and two other men had chased after Isaac Clark as Mr. Clark ran away from them,” in a motion filed in May.
To raise doubts about his testimony, they also cited the victim’s statements that he had four drinks prior to the altercation; and Isaac Clark claimed the victim, who was larger than Clark, charged him in the parking lot prior to the shooting.
Clark’s attorneys argued the shooting was in self-defense, but Judge David Walgren ordered the trial to continue.
Isaac Clark is being held in lieu of $2,065,000 bail and due back in court July 22 for a readiness hearing, with a jury trial scheduled to begin the following day.
He is facing five counts in connection to the incident, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and three felony weapons charges. He’s being held at North County Correctional Facility in Castaic.
Isaiah Raheed Clark pleaded no contest in January to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the charges prosecutors filed against him for his role in the incident.
Walgren gave Isaiah Clark a three-year suspended sentence for the charge, 40 days in jail, 30 days of community labor, formal probation and a court protective order not to contact any witnesses in the case. A second weapons charge was dropped as a result of his plea.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department custody records available online indicate Santa Monica Police Department officers arrested Isaiah Clark around 1:15 a.m. June 15.
He is being held without bail at NCCF in Castaic, where he was transferred July 8. He’s due back in court next month connected to a charge out of the Antelope Valley courthouse.
The DA’s office was not immediately available to discuss any information regarding the charges.
The owners of the Black and Blue Restaurant announced the business was looking to operate in a “more entertainment-friendly city” in an undated statement announcing its plans to close that was posted outside its door Feb. 23.
However, a representative from the Alcoholic Beverage Control said a complaint Friday filed nearly a year after the shooting cites two counts alleging “cause for suspension or revocation of the license.”
The claims in the complaint allege that from April 4, 2021, to Jan. 7, 2023, the licensee “permitted or suffered the above-designated premises to be used in a manner which did create a law enforcement problem for the law enforcement officials of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.”
