Girl’s Accused Killer Back in Court

A parolee accused of killing a girl outside of an illegal nightclub two years ago returned to court Wednesday for a pretrial hearing.

Johnl Reynolds allegedly shot and killed Ebony Huel on August 17, 2007 outside of the Underground, an illegal teen nightclub on Lincoln Avenue .

Reynolds allegedly was aiming at a gang rival whom he felt was responsible for his arrest and three-year prison sentence. Reynolds had been on parole for about three weeks before the shooting.

He is charged with one count of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The felony complaint also alleges the murder and attempted murder were committed to further a criminal street gang and that Reynolds personally discharged a handgun.

Huel’s death came at the end of a summer of gang-related violence that saw 11 gang related deaths sparking peace vigils, conversations about preventing the violence across the city and controversy.

City officials were chided for not acting swiftly to close the club despite several earlier incidents. A Pasadena man had earlier been shot and wounded less than a block away.

The fire department closed the building weeks before Huel was killed due to multiple violations, including missing dire extinguishers and doors that opened the wrong way which make it nearly impossible for a large crowd to exit quickly during an emergency.

Despite the dancing and live entertainment on Saturday night, club operators filed for a business license as an “after school program.”

Club operators later reapplied for a business license to function as a Class A private club, meeting hall and private lodge. The Class A specification is used for locations primarily operating for assemblies.

City officials later discovered the club apparently charged a cover for admittance and featured live entertainment, which disqualified it from the Class A distinction and required a Conditional Use Permit, which club operators never applied for.