Wakena Williams, mother of murder victim Taji Simon -- a 20-year-old rap performer known as Marley G -- wants the Marksville bar where her son and a friend were killed to be closed. She blames inadequate security at the nightspot for the shooting incident that killed the two men. The bar was the scene of another fatal shooting about nine years ago.
Louisiana ATC suspends Borrel’s bar license
Wakena Williams said the temporary closing of the bar where her son was killed is a good start, but she is dedicated to seeing the nightspot is permanently closed.
“Three people have been killed at Borrel’s in nine years,” Williams said. “My main goal is to get the club closed. I don’t just want changes at the club. I want it closed and I want it closed forever.”
She said her comments in a recent interview were misunderstood when she said she “did not want to be deceitful and close the bar.”
Williams said she did not mean that she did not want to close the bar, but that she wanted to be honest and straightforward -- not “deceitful” -- in seeking to have the bar closed.
“I don’t want to see any other child killed at that place,” she said. “I don’t want any other family to go through what I am going through.”
The last two people killed at Borrel’s were her son, Taji “Marley G” Simon -- an up-and-coming rap performer -- and Derrick McGlory. They were shot and killed early on the morning of Oct. 14. Jimmie McGlory, 28 -- a first cousin of Derrick McGlory -- has been arrested and charged with two counts of 1st degree murder.
The other death she referenced was Myron Mingo, who was killed at Borrel’s about nine years ago, MPD Police Chief Elster Smith said.
The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control suspended the liquor license of Borrel’s on Oct. 30. An administrative hearing on the bar’s license will be held at 1 p.m. this coming Tuesday (Nov. 13) at the Louisiana State Police Headquarters in Baton Rouge.
Borrel’s voluntarily surrendered its City of Marksville alcohol permit on Oct. 25 “and advised the business was closed and requested the business’ occupational license also be inactivated,” the ATC reported, adding that the bar had not surrendered its state permit as of Oct. 30, when the ATC served the bar a notice of suspension.
The notice requires “emergency action” in response to “a complaint regarding a disturbance of the peace (that) involved a shooting that resulted in two deaths.”
ATC said the Marksville Police Department reported that three security personnel at Borrel’s have not attended an approved security training course and do not hold a valid “Responsible Vendor” card, which is required by state law for those working in a bar.