Night club clears manager of alleged discrimination

GREENWOOD VILLAGE - Nearly one week after a disc jockey accused one of the general managers of the Purple Martini Night Club of discrimination, the club's managing partner on Wednesday released the results of an internal investigation.

"On such a highly emotional topic, I feel that it is important to be thorough and fair to all parties when responding to such serious allegations. After hearing of the allegations, we immediately put the manger on paid leave and started our own internal investigations," said the club's managing partner Will Coleman.

Coleman says he interviewed more than 20 witnesses and found no evidence to support the allegations against one of his general managers, Randy Thornton. Ishmahd Shabazz, a person the club identifies as a substitute DJ, accused Thornton of making a comment that the club was getting "too dark" and that is "scaring away my white customers."

Shabazz claimed the comments were made before a busy Friday night gathered outside the club on August 3. Shabazz also claimed that Thornton then allowed some white patrons into the club and kept some black patrons waiting outside.

"I've been at this club for nearly a year, I've owned several businesses, I'm a Denver native and nothing like this has ever come up. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I don't have a racist bone in my body and that's true," said Thornton who is now working again.

Colemans says he believes Shabazz had made the accusations because he has affiliations with rival clubs. When asked how he wanted to respond to Shabazz, Thornton said he did not. Thornton wanted to emphasize that he supports diversity at the club and in general.

"It's never important what a person looks like or where they're from, it's who they are that matters to me, and it's always been that way and I've treated people that way all my life," said Thornton.

Shabazz responded to the results on Wednesday evening.

"The investigation by the Purple Martini was done all in house. They never found any proof that would tie in with anyone being racist there because he never sat down with me and never went over the proof that I maintained," said Shabazz.