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Bar co-owner charged with lying to Boston police

E-mail|Link|Comments () July 13, 2009 02:09 PM

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

The co-owner of a Boston nightclub is now facing criminal charges for allegedly destroying evidence and for lying to Boston police as they investigated a shooting outside his nightclub on New Year’s Day.

Shawn Donovan of Billerica was indicted under a 2006 section of the witness intimidation law that makes it a crime to convince, or coerce, others to destroy evidence, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today in a statement announcing the charges.

Donovan is accused of telling a photographer working inside the Revolution Rock Bar and Lounge nightclub to destroy photos that showed him and the alleged suspect, 33-year-old Mario Mendez, standing together shortly before the shooting.

Donovan, 29, is also charged with lying to police because he falsely claimed he did not know Mendez.

“There’s no reason a legitimate businessman would try to thwart an investigation like that,’’ Conley said in a statement. “Club owners should take notice of this case – we won’t punish you for someone else’s crime, but if you try to cover it up or mislead investigators, then we’re coming down on you hard.”

An external surveillance camera recorded Mendez entering the nightclub and later as he fired his handgun down High Street. The surveillance video was posted by Boston police as they searched for Mendez. He was arrested Jan. 29 in Chelsea and has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges stemming from the shooting.

Mendez allegedly fired at a man he had argued with while inside the bar. The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries. Police found three firearms in his Chelsea apartment when he was arrested, according to prosecutors.

Donovan is set to be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court Aug. 10. A call to his attorney, Roger Witkin, was not immediately returned.