"...that in controversies respecting property, and in suits between man and man, the ancient trial by jury is preferable to any other, and ought to be held sacred"--Virginia Declaration of Rights

Many of our guests have recently asked me whether or not I would ask OJ Simpson to leave our restaurant should he ever come to dine, as the owner of the steakhouse in Kentucky recently did. My answer was immediate and short in each case--"no, I would not". If OJ Simpson walked into our restaurant [and i admit that i hope he does not] and was properly dressed and did not himself source a disturbance, I would seat him--worse still, if other guests decided to accost him, I would feel it necessary to come to his defense.

I believe OJ Simpson murdered his wife and her companion. I believe that he is a bad man, and I believe that if divine retribution exists he will see more than his full measure following death.

I also believe that as a lawful society we must respect the rule of law. It is no matter whether we agree or disagree with a verdict, and no matter whether human error or incompetence [whether individually or as a whole] has contributed to an unjust result.

Orenthal James Simpson was found not guilty of murder by a jury of his peers. He is innocent of that crime. I have no right to judge him further. Not only would I want to be accorded this same respect should I ever be falsely accused and tried before being exonerated, but if I decide to judge he who is almost assuredly guilty of such a heinous crime, where after will my judgements end?

I believe Nancy Pelosi is a traitor to her country, but she has not yet been charged or tried--do I refuse her service? What about Robert Blake? R. Kelly? Dr. Jack Kevorkian? Hell, Dr. Richard Kimball, for that matter?

Charles Keating's Lincoln Savings and Loan collapse signalled the fall of that entire industry and tens of billions in losses. He was convicted and imprisoned, but later released after a successful appeal--convictions overturned--like it never happened. He has been to our restaurant, and I have allowed him service--was I wrong there? As an interesting sidenote, his trail judge was Lance Ito, who also presided over the Simpson trial--Ito's incorrect instructions to the jury were partially responsible for the vacation of Keating's conviction--if you believe in personal judgements, then perhaps I shouldn't be serving Judge Ito either.

Most of the guests we see each day are wonderful, polite, and considerate people. Some are not. Some cheat their employees, beat their wives, screw around on their husbands, write illegal prescriptions, get drunk and insult their servers, lie to get free stuff, and far worse transgressions each and every day. The formula is simple. If a guest is properly dressed and does not perpetrate unacceptable behavior while in the restaurant, they are welcome. Period. Even...Nancy...Pelosi--please don't ask me about the Clintons.