What started out as a one-hour public hearing to possibly revoke a business license, turned into an imitation of a television courtroom show, complete with evidence, opposing witnesses and a continuation until next month.

The Selma City Council scheduled a public hearing Tuesday to discuss possibly revoking the business license of 12th Stone, a club located on Water Avenue.

At the core of the petition to pull the license, the Selma Police Department said, is the atmosphere surrounding and inside the club and the illegal activities reported and documented over the past year.

“From January of this year to July 20 of this year, there have been 23 calls for service to 12th Stone,” Selma Chief of Police William T. Riley told the council. “These incidents are of great concern because they involve the safety and welfare of the patrons, police and surrounding businesses.”

Riley featured a number of calls officers have responded to in the past year, including a Sept. 19 shooting that sprang from a fight in the club and resulted in an individual in a moving vehicle “firing a handgun into the crowd as they (crowd) was running.”

Riley also recounted the tragic shooting and murder of Kevin Stallworth on Dec. 31, a shooting that happened just outside 12th Stone and sprang from a fight within the club.

The chief also pointed out two cases where officers walked into the club and made arrests of individuals smoking marijuana in clear sight.

“Based on the aforementioned incidents, it is apparent that 12th Stone operations present a danger to the public, patrons, other businesses, law enforcement and the general welfare of the city of Selma,” Riley said. “I request 12th Stone’s business license be revoked.”

Attorney Brandon Wooten, representing 12th Club owner Carvin Thomas, said he and his client concede criminal activity has happened outside the club, but that those incidents in no way warrant the city revoking the club’s business license.

“I don’t think those things are instances that warrant a club being closed,” Wooten said, referring to a list of the 23 calls in the first months of 2011, some of which included “suspicious persons,” “intoxicated person,” “disorderly conduct in progress.” “I don’t see anything that has happened here outside the norm that doesn’t happen at every club all over America; specifically, I don’t see anything here that doesn’t happen at every other club in Selma.”

Wooten repeatedly pointed out that many of the calls happened outside the doors of 12th Stone and that some even happened after the club was closed.

“Also, a lot of incidents on here happen at 2:47 a.m., 2:42 a.m., 3:13 a.m. The club closes at 2 p.m.,” Wooten said. “These incidents occur after the club closes. And one thing the club does do, is they take the initiative to call the police officers, the club is closing.”

Wooten said the illegal activity is not being instigated by his client or his business, but is rather the result of those who come to 12th Stone and other establishments.

My basic premise is that my client is not operating the club illegally,” Wooten said. “The problem is the people that are inside his club. These same people frequent other clubs and other facilities in Selma. If the chief would provide documentation to the council, you will see these same incidents happen everywhere.”

Given that Wooten was not given enough time to question Riley and other city charges before the end of the public hearing, council president Cecil Williamson postponed the public hearing, giving Wooten and Thomas “as much time as they need,” until Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m.