09/13/2026
On 17 June 2025, former Martinis owners Oscar Brewer, Don Mangen, Jason White, Blake Whitson, and Steven Stafford sued the City of Biloxi, Mayor Andrew "FoFo" Gilich, then-Police Chief John Miller, and landlord Brad Patano in federal court. Nearly a year later, the plaintiffs filed an Amended Complaint on 3 June 2026, alleging that Biloxi turned against Martinis as its late-night clientele became increasingly Black and ultimately helped force the business to close. The case remains pending, and no final judgment has been entered on the plaintiffs’ claims.
Among the allegations, the plaintiffs claim Biloxi denied Martinis adequate Police Department assistance, pursued restrictions on its hours and operations, and later imposed and selectively enforced a 10 p.m. parking restriction beneath I-110 after previously telling the business that customers could park there. They also allege City Attorney Peter Abide told a former Martinis attorney that the City did not want Martinis to be “Black Spring Break every weekend,” that Gilich sought support for a midnight-closing ordinance, and that Patano worked with City officials because he wanted out of the lease. The plaintiffs are seeking approximately $31.9 million in compensatory damages, plus other relief.
The case has moved beyond the initial pleading phase and into discovery with, notably, Magistrate Judge Rath entering an agreed Confidentiality and Protective Order on 15 August 2026 governing qualifying discovery materials, including private personal information, trade secrets, and confidential business records. The order allows those materials to be designated confidential during discovery, favors redaction over sealing when they are later filed with the court, and requires a separate motion if a party believes material must actually be placed under seal. Information already in the public domain, or lawfully obtained from another source, is expressly excluded from the confidentiality restrictions.
