Easton Byfield didn't say a thing when he was arraigned this morning for allegedly beating a patron inside the Platinum Premier club almost a year ago, an attack authorities have on video.

Editor's note: The video of the alleged assault contains graphic language and violence.

Easton Byfield didn't say a thing when he was arraigned this morning for allegedly beating a patron inside the Platinum Premier club almost a year ago, an attack authorities have on video.



The video of the alleged attack went viral on the Internet, popping up on the popular Youtube.com website, but also on several other sites.



Standing in a striped shirt and tan pants, Mr. Byfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf as he was charged in Central District Court with kidnapping, filing a false police report, assault and battery and unarmed robbery.



Outside the courtroom, Mr. Byfield said nothing to the cluster of reporters who peppered him with questions. He ducked into a conference room with his lawyer, Michael P. Murphy, for more than a half-hour before emerging with a constant “no comment” to questions.



Mr. Byfield refused to say if the video was released by a former employee when the pair had a falling out.



Mr. Murphy also declined to discuss the case and only uttered that his client was doing “OK.”



Mr. Byfield, 36, of Thayer Pond Drive, Oxford, was arrested Feb. 18 on charges that he attacked a 25-year-old patron inside the Platinum Premier strip club at 241 Southbridge St. back in May.



On Feb. 17 police received an anonymous tip about the video, reviewed it and worked to identify the bouncer involved. Another bouncer allegedly videotaped the incident, and police are still working to identify him.



Some versions of the video are about four and a half minutes long on the Internet, while others are more than seven minutes long.



The video shows the patron being brought into a bathroom in the club and told by Mr. Byfield to empty his pockets, authorities said. The patron takes out his wallet, cell phone, cash and other items.



Mr. Byfield accuses the victim of selling drugs in the club.



“During the course of that discussion, this defendant struck the victim several times in the face,” Assistant District Attorney Marc W. Dupuis said.



The video shows Mr. Byfield punching the patron four times in the face. The blows knock the patron off balance. He looks stunned and tries to leave, but Mr. Byfield locks the bathroom door and stops the victim from leaving.



The victim is told at one point to kneel on the floor and pray to the employee reciting, “Oh great (expletive) brown dude. Oh great (expletive) brown dude.”



Mr. Byfield is black and the alleged victim is white. The actions have brought up discussions of hate crimes on the Internet.



Mr. Dupuis said Mr. Byfield took a wad of cash, $300, from the patron, who is then allowed to leave.



“This is your sacrifice right here,” Mr. Byfield is heard saying on the video. “You're lucky I didn't bring you in the basement and (expletive) dismantle you ... you're lucky you're able to walk out of here.”



Police said that on the same day of the alleged incident, Mr. Byfield called police and reported that he was approached in the bathroom of the club by the victim, who assaulted him. Mr. Byfield had an officer file a report.



It was that report that helped police track down the victim. Police interviewed the victim after they received the video. The victim never reported the alleged attack to police before they found him.



Detectives got a warrant to search the club and to retrieve any text-messages or e-mails found in Mr. Byfield's Blackberry, which was seized when he was arrested.



Mr. Murphy argued the phone should be released to his client, stating the seizure was illegal. Mr. Dupuis asked the judge to hold off on allowing the release of the phone, stating police have to still retrieve anything from the phone that might be related to the alleged attack.



Mr. Byfield was interviewed by detectives on Feb. 19 and told them he received a message on his Blackberry about the video, according to search warrant affidavits on file in court.

Detectives also took pictures of the outside and inside of the strip club.



Mr. Byfield was released on the $7,500 cash bail he posted after his arrest. He was ordered to stay away from the victim.



The case returns to court on March 15. Lawyers will discuss Mr. Murphy's motion to release the phone on that date.