Boca Raton Cops Allegedly Make Arrest Without Reviewing Surveillance Video. Prosecutors Drop Charges.
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2025 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A resident of The Bridges in West Delray Beach says he was wrongly accused of assaulting a man in “The Meat Market” — a steakhouse in the Renaissance Hotel at 2000 NW 19th Street in Boca Raton. Richard Feldman, of the 8900 block of Sydney Harbor Circle, is now suing his accuser, David Connell, and Meat Market Boca Raton LLC, for libel and slander. The following are key elements of the suit just filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. (We note the suit is exceptionally wordy, spans 17 pages, and places Deerfield Beach in Palm Beach County).
>> On March 5, 2025, FELDMAN, accompanied by a friend, arrived at MEAT MARKET, which is an upscale steakhouse/restaurant located in Boca Raton, Florida. Upon his arrival, FELDMAN immediately went to the outside bar at MEAT MARKET, saw an empty chair at the bar, and proceeded to stand at the bar in front of the empty chair, to place an order for a drink. Shortly after FELDMAN began standing at the bar, in front of the empty chair, CONNELL, who was a regular patron of MEAT MARKET, approached FELDMAN and told him that he could not stand there and to leave the area. FELDMAN stated it was empty as he did not see any food or partially full drinks on the bar, which would indicate someone was sitting at the bar. CONNELL then proceeded to put his hand on FELDMAN and screamed at him three times, telling him to move. FELDMAN, confused as to why CONNELL approached him, touched him, and was aggressively screaming at him to move from the bar area, questioned CONNELL as to why he was touching him. FELDMAN had no intention of sitting in the chair, and told CONNELL all he wanted was to order a drink.
When FELDMAN began to question CONNELL, as to why FELDMAN should move from the bar area, CONNELL became even more agitated, got closer in proximity to FELDMAN, touched him again, multiple times, continued yelling at him, and then forcefully struck FELDMAN in the back with his hand, in an attempt to move FELDMAN. After CONNELL struck FELDMAN in the back, CONNELL moved the empty seat FELDMAN was standing by, in an apparent attempt to make space for him to attack FELDMAN. CONNELL then grabbed FELDMAN’s shoulders, jostled FELDMAN, and as FELDMAN was falling down, CONNELL violently struck FELDMAN in the face with a closed fist. FELDMAN fell on to a nearby table, due to the force of CONNELL pushing and striking him. As FELDMAN attempted to get up after CONNELL assaulted and battered him, CONNELL then pushed the back of FELDMAN causing him to fall back onto the table. Due to the violent battery, FELDMAN suffered severe injuries to his head, ribs, legs, arms, and abdomen. After the previously described altercation happened, where CONNELL assaulted and battered FELDMAN, FELDMAN informed security of the incident, and was led outside the restaurant, while CONNELL was allowed to remain inside the restaurant. FELDMAN then called the Boca Raton police department regarding the incident that had just occurred.
Upon the police officer’s arrival, they took statements from FELDMAN, CONNELL and an employee of the MEAT MARKET, Mikaylah Latson, who was working as a bartender at the time that CONNELL assaulted and battered FELDMAN. From a review of the surveillance tape of the incident, taken from MEAT MARKET, Mikaylah Latson witnessed the entire incident. When questioned by the police as to what had transpired, CONNELL falsely accused FELDMAN of being the initial aggressor, claiming that FELDMAN struck CONNELL with a closed fist first, and that CONNELL then threw a punch at FELDMAN in self-defense. The police also spoke and took a recorded statement from Mikaylah Latson, an employee of MEAT MARKET, who was working as a bartender when CONNELL assaulted and battered FELDMAN Mikaylah Latson gave a sworn statement to the police. When giving her statement to the police, Mikaylah Latson falsely and recklessly told the police officers that (1) when FELDMAN was going up to the bar to get drinks, “he was shoving his way in between CONNELL and the female who accompanied him”. (2) That FELDMAN was elbowing them, (with her illustrating to the cops, that FELDMAN was wildly throwing elbows) (3) that CONNELL said, “you need to stop”, and that FELDMAN said “I am not moving”, and then pushed CONNELL, which caused CONNELL to swing at FELDMAN. Mikaylah Latson falsely and recklessly told and indicated to the police, that FELDMAN initiated physical contact first, and then shoved CONNELL, who then, in response to being pushed, punched FELDMAN. <<
Boca Raton Police issued a “notice to appear” to Feldman before they reviewed the video and realized Feldman was the victim, not the instigator. The video, according to Feldman and his attorney, proves that he was not the aggressor. It’s unclear why Boca Raton police did anything before reviewing the easily accessible surveillance video of the incident. Prosecutors dropped the charges against Feldman apparently after reviewing the video.
Steven Bell from Meltzer & Bell is Richard Feldman’s criminal defense attorney. BocaNewsNow.com has learned that Bell made it very clear to the Boca Raton police and the State Attorney’s office that cops got it wrong. He moved swiftly to get the original charges filed against Feldman dropped.
Feldman seeks in excess of $50,000 — the statutory minimum for filing a lawsuit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. No response to the suit had been filed by either David Connell or Meat Market Boca Raton, LLC, as of Saturday, August 5, 2025. Read the complete complaint, below. Feldman‘s civil attorney Jamie Sasson of the Sasson Law Firm in Boca Raton.
