Dierks Bentley Bar Security Involved in Death were Unlicensed
Four of the six security guards at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row bar on Lower Broadway in Nashville charged in the death of 22-year-old Dallas Jordan “DJ” Barret were not properly licensed to work as security guards in the State of Tennessee. Two did have the proper licenses, and the other four did work to obtain the proper licenses after the incident. The establishment had also be cited and fined previously for employing unlicensed security.
The August 16th, 2021 incident occurred after security guards at Whiskey Row had reportedly told Dallas Barret to leave the premises prior to the altercation, but he refused. Security then reportedly restrained Barret and held him down until officers arrived, with Barret complaining he couldn’t breathe. Numerous individuals called 911, with police arriving in just over two minutes. They found Barret unresponsive, and began performing CPR. Police were then relieved by Nashville Fire Department personnel who transported Barret to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
On November 5th, the autopsy report concluded that Dallas Barret’s cause of death was “asphyxiation” and the manner of death was “homicide.” Dylan Larocca, Tarrell Gray, John Eustace, Jaelen Maxwell, Mallet Meneese and Mark Watkins were all charged with reckless homicide and aggravated assault in December by a Grand Jury.
According to the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, on the night of Jordan Barrett’s death, Gray, Eustace, Maxwell and Watkins did not have the proper state licenses to work as security guards. Dylan Larocca did have a license, but it has been suspended until the conclusion of the case. Mallet Meneese’s license is up for suspension at a January 19th hearing. Tarrell Gray’s application for a license was initially granted after the incident, but was suspended once his involvement in the incident was revealed.
Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, and the business’s proprietary security company—Private Protective Services—was also cited in 2018 for employing unlicensed security guards, and was forced to pay a $250 fine. Because of the continued issue of employing unlicensed security guards, the Department of Commence and Insurance has now suspended the license for the security firm, meaning that the restaurant and bar will now have to work with an outside firm to provide security on the premises. The business has also been fined $9,000.
Attorney Jon Slager representing the mother of Jordan “DJ” Barret said in a statement, “It is difficult to fathom that Dierks Bentley and Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row Nashville cared so little for the safety of their patrons that four of the six security guards who murdered Tammy Barret’s son were not even properly licensed. Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row LLC is a practiced bad actor, and the above information strongly buttresses this conclusion. Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row certainly contributed to the death of Dallas Jordan Barret on August 16, 2021.”
A statement from Whiskey Row reads, “The safety and security of our guests and employees is our top priority. Due to privacy issues, we will not address individual personnel matters and we will not comment at this time on ongoing administrative proceedings.”
Dierks Bentley has yet to publicly address the matter.
All six men charged in the incident are currently out on $25,000 bond. No trial date is set at the moment.
January 9, 2022 @ 10:44 am
Well does definitely seem like the establishment has a lot to bear in this case. Seems like a bit much that all the guys are responsible in this case at least fully. The first fault lies with the guy that is unfortunately dead. Drunk or not, when asked to leave a place, you should do it. Maybe the appropriate person or persons should pay some penalty but I believe in personal responsibility. If eye witness testimony indicates something more dire, then so be it with manslaughter or whatever for the responsible parties. So I feel for all involved but like I said, I believe in personal responsibility first.
January 9, 2022 @ 2:19 pm
Just to play devil’s advocate, David, but one could make the personal responsibility argument about the bar having trained staff. Or, perhaps, 6 bouncers should show some personal responsibility and not pile on someone until they are dead. Not trying to argue, I don’t have enough facts to have a side, just tossing out a thought.
January 9, 2022 @ 9:00 pm
Oh I said the establishment has a lot to bear in this. Far as all the security, hard to believe they all meant for this but like you said, more evidence needed. A lot might not come out until trial or afterwards.
January 9, 2022 @ 2:26 pm
The fault lies with the unlicensed clowns who killed a guy because they wanted to play act at being cops, rather than calling the police.
January 9, 2022 @ 11:31 am
I got kicked out of bar many years ago and security drug me down a flight of stairs and threw me out the back door (and slammed it shut). Case closed. It’s really odd to me they held him down until the police arrive (the less the police are called to an establishment, the better off for everyone – bar might get labeled a nuisance). Normally (and this was years ago) you just want to get the drunk off the property and hope he goes somewhere else or passes out.
January 9, 2022 @ 12:46 pm
If you like going out for music and or drinks, sooner or later you will encounter bozos like this fellow. Ive encountered quite a few in my time. Most of them , while annoying, are the type you can handle with de-escalation techniques. You gotta figure out what said drunk really wants, just some attention, maybe a bit amped up, or is this individual a fighter all the way. Ive handled them by being calm and friendly and steering them to their friends or family, who often will help. Even if you ultimately gotta bounce them, ive seen it done without extreme aggression.
Worst one i witnessed was a cocktail lounge in Memphis, my wife and i and another couple were hanging out, and a loud drunk began yelling at staff. It escalated to the point he was taking a swing at someone. Waitress initially tried bouncing him and he overpowered her, i jumped up ready to pinball him to the exit if need be, at that point a large dish-washer employee came out and throttled him. Drunk guy made mistake of calling him a racial term and took a swing at him. Dishwasher lifted him off the ground and slammed him against the wall. Then he shoved the guy out the doors into the street. Dude was still yelling and raising a fuss, but he was now outside. Doorman and dishwasher kept him out. No cops called, no holding a guy on the ground necessary. No lawsuit. Thats how its done in Memphis.
January 9, 2022 @ 1:09 pm
Seems legit Kevin Smith but imagine in that scenario or one like it when dishwasher slammed him against wall, he hits his head on something and dies which can easily happen, then you have a different situation. So in any situation where some violence needs to done to take care of situation, death can happen. In that case, there would be an investigation so just because someone doesn’t end up dead in a particular situation doesn’t mean in same scenario the next time won’t have a different outcome . I don’t have any sympathy for the person being unruly, just saying that different situations can have different outcomes even if similar measures used.
January 9, 2022 @ 1:53 pm
Agreed David. Every situations unique. As i said, MOST of the time, it can be done calmly. Im a big admirer of the guys at Roberts in Nashville, they are such pros. Ive seen them in action numerous times. They smile and engage the person directly but firmly. They usually give a drunk a chance to calm down and chill before making them leave. If they do bounce someone, its normally an arm grab and a quick walk to the door. Then they talk to the individual outside and explain why they are not allowed back in. Usually works. Its a thankless job but the good ones i think are part psychologists.
The truly violent crazies are another matter and in my example in Memphis, there was zero time for solving it intellectually. That situation was happening so rapidly it could only be defused with force. No one got hurt that night aside from the drunk, who no doubt woke up with a few bruises he couldnt explain. I was a big admirer of that waitress though, it didnt wreck her night, she laughed it off.
January 14, 2022 @ 7:03 am
Once a drunk takes swing at someone the rules change. I think throwing a puncher against the wall is justified, throwing someone who simply refuses to leave against the wall or floor is a bit different.
January 9, 2022 @ 1:48 pm
Clerks was awesome, bro!
January 9, 2022 @ 12:21 pm
I saddens me that someone here thinks the penalty for drunk and disorderly should be death. The victim should have payed an appropriate price for his actions, which might have happened if the the bouncers had been trained well enough not to kill him. This lack of empathy is unfortunately too prevalent in our current society, unfortunately among many who would call themselves Christians. I hope that the feeling extends to the security taking responsibility and going to jail for at least manslaughter.
January 9, 2022 @ 7:28 pm
Michael,
Get off the anti-Christian statements. Ridiculous.
I think it’s time to call it a day on all these artist-inspired bars. Clean it up so families can enjoy the strip.
January 9, 2022 @ 7:33 pm
You misunderstand. The comment, far from being anti-Christian, is anti- people who call themselves Christian but don’t follow the teachings: i.e.judge not lest ye be judged. and those about compassion and mercy. If the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t wear it.
January 9, 2022 @ 8:20 pm
Michael,
I may have overlooked it; did someone involved in this story mention something about Christianity?
January 10, 2022 @ 4:39 am
No, but in the comments someone was talking about personal responsibility in a way that blamed the victim for his own death. I found that lacking in the kind of empathy that Christianity teaches and thought I would mention it, as these days that attitude is coming from many, though of course not all, who claim to be Christian.
January 10, 2022 @ 8:52 am
wait, you’re upset that someone brought up christianity when your gloom and doom rhetoric into most articles? wasn’t it you said “This ol world is sick, sick, sick. Sin will get everyone in the end, lest they repent” just a few days ago in an article that didn’t mention christianity?
what. a. hypocrite.
January 10, 2022 @ 8:58 am
No more comments on this thread. Stay on topic please.
January 10, 2022 @ 9:01 am
trig, you really go out of the way to protect and side with certain commenters. the only time you chime in to tell people to stay track is when someone challenges one of their off topic (at best) comments.
is honky like your dad or something?
January 10, 2022 @ 9:12 am
Yes, and Honky just said the same exact thing in a different comment thread where I commented after him. Whenever comments descend into personal back and forths, it will be shut down. I would appreciate if both you and Honky would respect this website and the comments sections, and refrain from off-topic tangents, and incessant personal back-and-forths.
January 10, 2022 @ 9:22 am
I agree with Michael, its been my personal observation that it is those who openly profess their “Christianity” that tend to act less Christ like. Nothing raises my hackles like someone openly professing their Christianity. “The lady doth protest too much”
January 10, 2022 @ 9:30 am
Trigger,
I’ve been misunderstood here. I’m not upset about anything at all. I just noticed that Christianity was mentioned, and wondered if I’d missed part of the story. That’s all.
January 9, 2022 @ 12:54 pm
Ahh another way for the state to make money by having “licensed security.” Kind of like the “dancing tax” you have to play in Lexington Ky
January 9, 2022 @ 4:34 pm
@63–Oh, yeah, the state makes a tremendous amount of money by requiring drinking establishments to employ licensed security. Their coffers are just overflowing.
And of course, you posted that here, because this case proves how unnecessary it is to require licensing, because you should just be able to hire any musclehead or ex-con off the street to provide security at a bar and they’ll do a fine job.
Get outta here!
January 9, 2022 @ 1:27 pm
No one said the penalty should be death. But people have to realize their actions have consequences so best to think about that beforehand. The bouncer may be at fault but I find it hard to believe all are but depends on your thinking I guess. More of the blame should be with the establishment that hired unlicensed security. These guys probably had no formal training though even that doesn’t mean someone won’t die in a situation. I feel sorry for all involved and in like I said maybe manslaughter is the answer if evidence proves as such but my pont that the victim here has responsibility still stands. Being Christian or not has nothing to do with it.
January 9, 2022 @ 4:12 pm
The consequences for getting drunk at a bar shouldn’t be “Murdered by untrained thugs trying to act tough rather than do their job.”
January 9, 2022 @ 9:11 pm
The consequence shouldn’t be that but when wrong decisions are made, bad things can happen. It’s a teaching lesson. Just because you go to a bar, doesn’t mean you get a free liscense to be a jerk. If there is enough evidence to show some maliciousness then I’m sure they will face some penalty.
January 10, 2022 @ 2:49 am
We don’t even know that he was being a jerk.
We just know that a bunch of unlicensed shitheads killed him because they wanted to look tough, rather than doing their job and calling the cops.
…which is why they’ve all been indicted for manslaughter.
January 10, 2022 @ 8:41 am
Maybe but in all my bar days, I never saw anybody get asked to leave a bar that was just minding their business and having a good time.
January 11, 2022 @ 7:58 am
In all your bar days, how many bouncers decided it was a good idea to take it upon themselves to attack and “restrain” some 22 year old who was being an asshole, rather than just calling the cops?
January 9, 2022 @ 1:41 pm
I take it Roadhouse isn’t part of their onboard training.
January 9, 2022 @ 4:04 pm
Derek Chauvin- licensed professional with nearly 20 years experience with a degree in Law EnFORCEment- and no, I’m not on George Floyd’s side- just saying- a *proper* license means very little-
January 9, 2022 @ 4:45 pm
@DJ
So your take on the George Floyd incident is that it shows that we shouldn’t require police officers to undergo training before putting them out on the street and giving them the power to arrest.
And no doubt, the crash of the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant and several others–flown by a trained, licensed pilot–indicates that we shouldn’t require training and licesnsing for people before they can go out and fly helicopters and carry passengers.
January 10, 2022 @ 6:06 am
You, like so many, see what you want to see as opposed to reading what is actually written.
Derek Chauvin- licensed professional with nearly 20 years experience with a degree in Law EnFORCEment- and no, I’m not on George Floyd’s side- just saying- a *proper* license means very little-
January 10, 2022 @ 1:03 pm
@dj
No, I read exactly what was written and I think I got your point just fine.
January 9, 2022 @ 4:45 pm
Don’t get your panties in a bunch hoss. If you really think it’s that hard to be licensed security than I have some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you. Again, overall it’s just an easy way for the state to make money at the end of the day. If it was that hard we would hear about stories like this all the time. FYI from what I’ve seen to be licensed it’s $50 dollars and a background check with maybe a 4 hour course tops. That’s a lot of training that thank god the state is there to provide it for.
January 9, 2022 @ 7:06 pm
Yes, that does make it all the more egregious that the bar couldn’t be bothered to certify its security staff, who proceeded to kill a 22 year old kid.
January 10, 2022 @ 8:26 pm
My whole point is it’s dumb to think 50 bucks and a 4 hour class would of stopped this. Yeah from all indications the guys are in the wrong, but to think a license would change it? Even when several involved did have a license just proves my point further
January 11, 2022 @ 8:04 am
My point is that this was such completely fucking insane behavior from the security staff that I have to assume that they had literally never even been told what their job actually was, so even a little bit of training may have helped…and that the bar’s leadership team needs to be held legally responsible for what went down.
January 10, 2022 @ 8:15 am
Unrelated, I can’t believe the flack the Opry is getting for having Morgan Wallen play over the weekend. I don’t care about MW and have never listened to a full song of his; but it’s clear as day that his use of the N-word was done out of stupidity and not racism. All this BS from Isbell and others is ridiculous.
Meanwhile, I streamed Bela’s show at the Ryman on Saturday night. Holy smokes that was awesome.
January 10, 2022 @ 8:46 am
I’ve been trying to avoid all of this Morgan Wallen stuff, as well as Jason Isbell’s decidedly illiberal and hypocritical unwillingness to convey forgiveness. But it appears that’s impossible.
January 10, 2022 @ 10:35 am
Isbell is the worst
January 10, 2022 @ 10:45 am
Jason has long doubled down on his role of sanctimonious, illiberal preacher…no way he’s going to back down now. The funny part is that while he’s playing white night protector of an entire group of people, saying they are “terrified” by an appearance of a guy who used the (we all agree) wrong word in jest and appropriation, that same “terrifying” artist lands the number one song in hip hop.
You just couldn’t make this shit up, and there are so many angles to expose his bullshit, but very few are willing to do it. If only there was somebody….
January 11, 2022 @ 7:56 am
^People keep acting like saying Morgan Wallen should be a little less famous is like saying he should be castrated.
…and then crying when Isbell makes fun of them for acting like saying Morgan Wallen should be a little less famous is like saying he should be castrated.
January 10, 2022 @ 12:39 pm
The Opry deserves flack for having Wallen on. Rap shouldn’t be allowed on the Opry.
January 10, 2022 @ 4:27 pm
Not a fan of his butt you got me curious so I found a clip. Doesn’t sound much like rap to me. Sounds dare I say…decent?
https://countryswag.com/morgan-wallen-gives-surprise-performance-at-grand-ole-opry/
January 10, 2022 @ 4:28 pm
Not a fan of his “butt” either. Lol
January 10, 2022 @ 5:46 pm
I’m referencing the general Rap influence in his music. But you’re right; that specific recording isn’t terrible.
January 10, 2022 @ 10:26 am
Some blame with the victim and some with security but it is sad that the victim lost his life. We will have to wait to see what the true facts are. Impossible to come to conclusions before that.
January 10, 2022 @ 4:40 pm
He sounds great!
Thanks for the link.
January 10, 2022 @ 6:25 pm
Surprisingly so right?
But……of course…….anyone who was in a 2 block radius should be cancelled, if not jailed….because terrorism.
January 10, 2022 @ 4:52 pm
Jake ^
January 14, 2022 @ 7:13 am
Unless the deceased was like Andre the Giant, it shouldn’t take six security to get him out of the bar. One or two grabbing arm and head pressure points, keep him on his feet so he’s mobile, and guide him to the door. The other four keep the crowd away and clear a path to the door.
Once they’ve thrown the guy to the floor they’ve already made their jobs immensely harder. But even then all it takes is one security per limb and carry him out to the sidewalk with some wrist pressure to distract him. No need for chokeholds at all, especially with a non assaultive customer.
This sounds like some real amateur security with the wrong mind set.