MIAMI - An NBC 6 investigation in May revealed that an adult business is operating in the middle of a Miami residential neighborhood. Now the city of Miami is taking action to stop it.
The Miami Code Enforcement Department board met on Wednesday to decide whether live sex shows broadcast on the Internet from inside the house violates the law.
"It's the city's position that the activity that is happening at that location should not be happening," said Assistant City Attorney Victoria Mendez. "It's a single-family residence and there are children in the vicinity, and the city feels that this should be stopped immediately." The city issued violation notices after NBC 6's investigation disclosed that men living in the house were having sex with each other for a pornographic Web site.
But the attorney for Flava Works, the company that operates the Web site, said the business is legal.
"I assure you that all of the allegations take place in a private area, behind a locked door, in a house that goes over out of cyberspace on the Internet," attorney James Benjamin said. "No child near there or anywhere outside the house has any idea what happens inside, just like nobody knows what happens in your house, sir."
The hearing dragged on for hours Wednesday night. It didn't end until after midnight Thursday.
The city contends that an adult business cannot operate in a residential neighborhood, but the operators insist there is no onsite business because it's all in cyberspace.
"The city of Miami doesn't understand or doesn't want to understand there is no business there," Benjamin said.
Phillip Bleicher, who operates Flava Works, refused an interview with NBC 6.
The code enforcement board decided to continue the hearing until July 25. Meanwhile, the Web site is still in business.
So who is this??? Anyone have any idea???
the actual article