How a ‘very normal night’ turned into a murder investigation at Halifax nightclub

The owner of the nightclub where battle rapper Pat Stay was stabbed takes the stand at the Adam Drake murder trial.

The jury that will decide the verdict in Adam Drake’s murder trial watched the moment Pat Stay was fatally stabbed several times on Tuesday.

Jurors also heard from an owner and a security guard of the Halifax nightclub where the fatal altercation occurred, testifying about what they did – and didn’t – see the night of Sept. 3 into Sept. 4, 2022.

Scott MacLean, who co-owned the Yacht Club Social with two others, testified all morning and into the afternoon as one of two Crown witnesses to take the stand on Tuesday. He said the establishment opened in June and Sept. 3, 2022 was its last night of business. MacLean was working the night the incident happened.

He told the jury he was with another staff member, and they were going to clean off a table when he was pushed back. He testified that he turned around and said he saw “a fist fly through the air” and someone fall to the ground.

He didn’t see the punch land, he said, but he saw the man, whom he later learned to be Pat Stay, head to the front door.

MacLean said he went to alert security after seeing a trail of blood. He told the jury he didn’t see what caused the blood and didn’t see any weapons.

When asked by Crown prosecutor Carla Ball, MacLean said utensils weren’t available to the public during the midnight hour.

Adam Drake is accused of second-degree murder in the battle rapper’s death and has pleaded not guilty.

The Crown asked MacLean if he knew a handful of people, including Drake, prior to that night. He said he didn’t know Drake or the other names mentioned, except for Pat Stay. He said he had seen some of Stay’s videos and spotted him at several events before.

The jury watched video of the stabbing itself for a second time, and two hours leading up to, beginning at about 10:32 p.m. on Sept. 3, 2022.

VIP area

MacLean was asked about what was required to attend the VIP section of the club, where Stay was fatally stabbed at 12:35 a.m., according to security camera footage.

He said bottle service needed to be purchased at a minimum cost of $250 per bottle.

During the Crown’s opening address to the jury, prosecutor Carla Ball said Drake spent most of the evening in the VIP section.

On Tuesday, MacLean was asked about who made reservations.

Drake’s lawyer, Michael Lacy, showed a couple screenshots of bookings on Sept. 3, but MacLean said he wasn’t sure who attended that night.

Cleaning up blood

During cross-examination by Lacy, MacLean eventually agreed that he told police he had blood on his hands that night. He testified he was serving the VIP section when the attack happened.

Lacy also played video, which MacLean confirmed showed one of his staff members cleaning blood off themselves.

MacLean agreed there was a lot of blood throughout the bar, but said he didn’t recall where he was when he cleaned off.

Security guard testifies about “normal night”

Mohanad Alkayale, a bouncer or security guard at the Yacht Club Social, said Sept. 3 was a “very normal night” leading up to the stabbing.

He testified that bags were not required to be checked upon entry to the club.

During the Crown’s opening address, jurors were told Drake was wearing a satchel the night of Stay’s killing.

At the time of the attack, Alkayale said he was with a liquor inspector when they observed a man exiting out of the main doors, describing “a bunch of chaos.”

He said the music was too loud to hear anything, but that the scene unfolded “within about a minute.”

Alkayale told the jury he was unaware of the severity at first, but after being tasked with getting a first aid kit, he recalled being told by police that the bar needed to be shut down.

Cross-examination continues Wednesday morning.

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