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The Prince George's County liquor board postponed reviewing the liquor license of the Adelphi restaurant that police shut down following a Nov. 23 gang-related shooting after owners said they didn't have enough time to get an attorney.

Owners of The Setting restaurant told the board, which met Dec. 3, that they weren't given enough notice before the hearing to get a new attorney. They were given eight days' notice, which included the Thanksgiving holiday, but the county requires a minimum of a 10 days' notice.

The Setting co-owner Troy Williams said his former attorney told him on Nov. 29 that he couldn't represent the restaurant at the hearing because he was handling a conflicting matter for the restaurant. Owners were unable to find a new attorney in time.

"With this particular violation, he indicated to us that he wasn't the best person to represent us for this," Williams told the Board of License Commissioners, which enforces alcoholic beverage laws in the county.

A group of about 25 residents, elected officials and police officers attended the hearing with the hopes of seeing the restaurant's liquor license suspended, they said.

Lewisdale Civic Association President LaVerne Williams said she was disappointed the restaurant's license was granted a continuance until the liquor board's Jan. 14 meeting, when it will review the license.

Although the restaurant is temporarily shut down, it still has its liquor license and could reopen if a court approves it.

"They have never lived up to their promises to the community that they'd be operating a family-style restaurant," Williams said. "A number of crimes have been committed there. It's our understanding that some gangs hang out there."

Williams said the owners told residents at a civic association meeting that they were opening a West Indian family restaurant before they opened for business in 2005. The Setting serves West Indian food and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

According to county police reports, The Setting has been the site of two homicides since November 2007. There have also been three assaults, two stabbings and a robbery since August 2007.

On Nov. 23, a man was shot three times in the leg during the "Bring Back the Love" party hosted at The Setting. Police report he was shot by a gang member who repeatedly asked the man which gang he was affiliated with. The man didn't understand the question and was shot, police report.

The club has been cited an occupancy permit violation and two liquor license violations in the past year, and the Dec. 3 hearing was scheduled because of the most recent violation, given on Oct. 12, which alleges they were selling alcohol at 3:30 a.m., which is during prohibited.

County Acting Police Chief Roberto Hylton shut down the restaurant on Nov. 26 using county zoning bill CB-31. Police can shut down any establishment that requires a use and occupancy permit to operate when there's "an imminent danger and threat to the health, safety and welfare of the public," according to the bill.

The Setting is the first establishment Hylton has shut down as acting chief, but County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) closed down nine in March 2007.

Co-owner and cook Yvonne Stewart said the owners, which include her son, Troy Williams, and her daughter, Trish Williams, have been "crucified" by the local community.

"We're surrounded by five other clubs. Stuff happens there and this doesn't happen," she said of the hearing's large turnout.

Coco Cabana Grill is one such restaurant and bar that hosts regular dance events. It hasn't been cited for a liquor license violation in the past, according to liquor board clerks. It's located on the same block of University Boulevard as The Setting.

Now that The Setting is closed, Stewart said she and her co-workers have no other source of income.

"This is my life. Now that I'm out of a job, my bills are piling up," she said. "I've invested everything I have into that club."

Stewart said the family will try to reopen the restaurant.

To reopen the establishment, the owners must file an appeal through Circuit Court.

The Setting is in the district of Del. Justin Ross (D-Dist. 22) of Greenbelt. He said liquor licenses are transferred from one owner to another "all the time" in the county, and he's sponsoring legislation this January to allow licenses to be bought in the county with the intent of getting rid of them.

"So if churches want to buy licenses from people that are for sale, they can buy them and burn them up, and get rid of them," he said.

Maj. Kevin Davis, commander of the District 1 police station, said his department regularly anticipates problems at The Setting and the establishment drains police resources.

"We expend a huge amount of patrol and investigative resources," he said. "I'm disappointed, but I'm still very hopeful that the same end result will occur… which is that place is permanently shut down so they can stop terrorizing the community."

E-mail Elahe Izadi at eizadi@gazette.net.