Tempo Restaurant: What Happened There?

[zapped]

The Coy Barefoot article talks about what "Abby" saw: http://insidecville.com/blog/ljs-timeline/

1:10am: Back at Tempo
Abby, who had been checking IDs at the door since about 10pm, does not remember seeing LJ come back to Tempo just after 1am, which would have been only a few minutes after he’d left. Nor does she recall Hannah coming up to the door or asking to come inside. “I don’t remember her,” she says. “Not then. I saw her later.”

and later . . .

1:45am: Last Call
Abby does remember quite well seeing LJ Matthew and Hannah Graham walking away outside about a half hour later. “A lot of people were outside then,” she says. “It was a typical, crowded Friday night. I guess it was about 1:40 or closer to 1:45. I remember because it was definitely after last call.”

“He came out the side door,” she says of LJ Matthew. “I saw him come walking by and I thought, there’s that obnoxious guy from before. I noticed he had his arm around a girl. She was wearing a crop top.” Abby says it was days later, after she’d seen some video images on the news, that she recognized the girl. She learned that that same girl she’d seen on the Mall was a second-year University of Virginia student named Hannah Graham.
“When I saw her that night,” Abby says, “I remember thinking, she’s really drunk. She couldn’t walk well. She was slouched into him, leaning against him, like she was having difficulty standing up. He was talking to her, and his right arm was around her, not over her shoulder, not at the waist, but around her back and holding her right arm. He was holding her close, like he was almost holding her up. They walked away together up the street towards the Mall.”

BBM

Why didnt she call police with her story a few days later after recognizing Hannah? It was a day or two after those mall videos were shown that we learned of the search warrant for JLMs car....and if IIRC correctly Tempo didnt enter into the conversation until a few days after that.

Her stories arent adding up at all IMO

 

[jamicat]

Hm. Could swear I saw that exact quote attributed to Abby elsewhere.
Thanks, I'm going to do some more checking. I have serious doubts that she was in that bad a condition that quickly.

BBM
I agree that it makes no sense. We see how she moved in the video. She may have been inebriated, but not in such condition that she could hardly walk without support in that time, even if she had one more drink. It is on record that JM bought two drinks at Temp. But that incapacitated, that quickly? Doesn't make sense unless something got slipped into the drink that was pretty strong and fast acting. Or the eye witness account isn't correct.

 

[mom2tee]

How much time and where? could you provide some background links that specify?

Hannah's twitter references her studying in France (if I recall correctly) this summer and also visiting with family there.

 

[jamicat]

BBM

Why didnt she call police with her story a few days later after recognizing Hannah? It was a day or two after those mall videos were shown that we learned of the search warrant for JLMs car....and if IIRC correctly Tempo didnt enter into the conversation until a few days after that.
Her stories arent adding up at all IMO

We don't know when "Abby" or anyone talked to the police. LE aren't giving details how they got info from where. A lot of this is coming out now.

Where it's a bit odd and I don't understand, is how she missed seeing JM coming back into Tempo. It's not like someone that size can "sneak" in easily, would you think? If she missed him going in there, it's likely she missed Hannah too. That JM came back is confirmed by others and by credit card receipt--he paid for something while in there. She says about JM, "“He came out the side door,”--which side door? Of what? And Hannah suddenly materialized from where?

But, she and others seem to be quite sure that both of them were in the vicinity together at around a certain time. Should LE totally disregard the sightings and ID because some things are not exactly right?

 

[Claudia]

The Coy Barefoot article talks about what "Abby" saw: http://insidecville.com/blog/ljs-timeline/

1:10am: Back at Tempo
Abby, who had been checking IDs at the door since about 10pm, does not remember seeing LJ come back to Tempo just after 1am, which would have been only a few minutes after he’d left. Nor does she recall Hannah coming up to the door or asking to come inside. “I don’t remember her,” she says. “Not then. I saw her later.”

and later . . .

1:45am: Last Call
Abby does remember quite well seeing LJ Matthew and Hannah Graham walking away outside about a half hour later. “A lot of people were outside then,” she says. “It was a typical, crowded Friday night. I guess it was about 1:40 or closer to 1:45. I remember because it was definitely after last call.”

“He came out the side door,” she says of LJ Matthew. “I saw him come walking by and I thought, there’s that obnoxious guy from before. I noticed he had his arm around a girl. She was wearing a crop top.” Abby says it was days later, after she’d seen some video images on the news, that she recognized the girl. She learned that that same girl she’d seen on the Mall was a second-year University of Virginia student named Hannah Graham.
“When I saw her that night,” Abby says, “I remember thinking, she’s really drunk. She couldn’t walk well. She was slouched into him, leaning against him, like she was having difficulty standing up. He was talking to her, and his right arm was around her, not over her shoulder, not at the waist, but around her back and holding her right arm. He was holding her close, like he was almost holding her up. They walked away together up the street towards the Mall.”

BBM for Claudia. Yes, it looks suspiciously like the same words being attributed to two different people. Either that, or Brice Cunningham got confused and attributed Abby's statements to a customer in the bar.

I'm not going to believe anything Abby says until it's proven without a doubt she's being truthful about Hannah not being in the bar (which I don't think will ever happen).
I think Hannah was inside, I think they had a staff meeting that Monday, and i think they got their story straight then. It's so obvious Abby is covering by her words... I don't remember seeing her inside... right. Not I didn't see her, i don't remember. No one can say you're lying, can't prove what someone remembers. That's weak.

 

[LG3]

BBM

Why didnt she call police with her story a few days later after recognizing Hannah? It was a day or two after those mall videos were shown that we learned of the search warrant for JLMs car....and if IIRC correctly Tempo didnt enter into the conversation until a few days after that.

Her stories arent adding up at all IMO

I completely agree - IMO it's really odd that Tempo waited so long to release a statement to the public, and was very sure to throw in how there was "another girl" similarly dressed to Hannah there that night that people are confusing her with. I wonder if the police, while questioning the bar owners, made them feel somehow threatened about what could happen to their establishment if they had served her underage before she disappeared? I've been very impressed with the CPD's handling of the case so far - specifically Chief Longo. He has always maintained that the most important thing is finding Hannah, not discrediting witnesses or getting anybody in trouble other than the perp. I would think in this situation, the police dept. would give Tempo a pass on potentially serving an underage patron, just for the importance of the truth without them worrying about covering their butts. JMO. However, with the time lapse before Tempo put a statement out, plus the awkward quotes looking for sympathy for themselves, it really makes me think they do have something to worry about with the ABC. I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but it's also entirely possible that Hannah had a fake ID to get in. That would not be out of the norm for an underage college student that likes to go out sometimes. Believe, me I'm not victim blaming at ALL here! Just saying, it's certainly possible she had a legit ID of someone who looked enough like her, or an actual fake ID with her own photo, in which case it wouldn't be as huge of a mistake on the doorman/woman's part. I have never encountered an ID scanner while entering a bar in Charlottesville, VA. Either way, I really hope the police are willing to give Tempo a pass on possibly serving underage, as long as they get the truth from bar staff and no staff had part in her disappearance. I would think that's more important than slapping them with a fine or temporary close of business. This is my first post - hope it makes sense! Also, if anyone has questions about the Charlottesville or Fairfax area, please ask. I grew up in Fairfax and have lived in Charlottesville for the last five years.

 

[Concerned Mama]

I'm not going to believe anything Abby says until it's proven without a doubt she's being truthful about Hannah not being in the bar (which I don't think will ever happen).
I think Hannah was inside, I think they had a staff meeting that Monday, and i think they got their story straight then. It's so obvious Abby is covering by her words... I don't remember seeing her inside... right. Not I didn't see her, i don't remember. No one can say you're lying, can't prove what someone remembers. That's weak.

Yes, if she recognized her a few days later from some video images (I'd guess the footage showing HG walking inside the hall at earlier party), then I'd really be interested in knowing if she called the tip line or called her boss first. :thinking:
I don't think we'll have any way of finding that info out, but if she told her boss first, then I'm with you on Brice Cunningham's CYA.

See you folks later. Long work week starting in about 7 hours. :bedtime:

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

Thinking about the condition Abby says HG was in when leaving the area of Tempo....just throwing out another angle as to what might have been going on where she supposedly could barely walk. Knowing that she had been covering a lot of territory that night--lost or not lost--and figuring that her phone went off-line during the Tempo time frame...maybe what looked like someone who was too drunk/high to walk was actually someone who was crying. Something could have happened that was just the last straw for her that night. Alcohol has a tendency to heighten those emotions a tad...if the 1:06 / 1:20 text was accurate, maybe it was more than she could take to realize she was lost and not able to use her phone. IOW, maybe LH was having an emotional breakdown at the time JM was walking away with her.

 

[sixecho]

BBM. I think your idea about catfishing (perhaps on Tinder?) needs to be considered. In fact, it would explain quite a lot of HG's behavior if that were the case.

Every account that I have read says that HG was lived a pretty straight life, though. So what happened to her that night that would make her susceptible to such tactics?

Yes. I too think it would explain a lot. According to her twitter pics, it appears to me that she really liked to party and drink as well. So perhaps she had a little wild side in her. She seems to use that yik yak anonymous app as entertainment when bored. She posted a picture of the app being down and says, "HA ha. What am I supposed to procrastinate with now?". She also has a decent amount of pictures with alcohol and friends which is normal for a college student. One twitter picture that does concern me is one of a text on Aug 23. She texts a friend, 'Alden', "Do you know what I did to my leg?" He responded that she fell while jumping over a fence and fell down the hill near the train tracks. I'm guessing she may have gotten really drunk with friends. Not out of the norm. I've had my crazy nights in college. It just got me thinking about railroad tracks. They aren't too far from Tempo and the tracks also run along her apartment complex. I wonder if she may have walked along the tracks or maybe JM hid her in a train compartment that's long gone? Probably unlikely though and I'm sure LE would have checked the tracks and the trains.

 

[jamicat]

I'm not going to believe anything Abby says until it's proven without a doubt she's being truthful about Hannah not being in the bar (which I don't think will ever happen).
I think Hannah was inside, I think they had a staff meeting that Monday, and i think they got their story straight then. It's so obvious Abby is covering by her words... I don't remember seeing her inside... right. Not I didn't see her, i don't remember. No one can say you're lying, can't prove what someone remembers. That's weak.

"ANYTHING", Abby says? You think every bit of what was said should be thrown out? If LE did that on cases, they'd have nothing. The WG that went to LE upon realizing it was Hannah he likely saw at the mall described JM all wrong. We can see that on video. Everything he says is corroborated on film, which he did not see until AFTER he talked to LE, EXCEPT his description of JM which was so way off.

We don't always remember things exactly the way they happened especially when we are not focused on them at that time as anything significant.

Hannah may or may not have been INSIDE Tempo, but it seems to me to be clear she was in the area of Tempo. Several eye witnesses have so said and also say JM was with with her.

It would be very foolish for the owner/manager of Tempo to encourage employees to lie about this. I don't think they are. THis is a very serious case. I don't think employees there remember her specifically being inside the place, but there might be patrons who think she might have been in there. How sure anyone is going to be if cross examined remains to be seen, but my guess is that they will all swear they saw her in the area of Tempo.

Also, I don't think Hannah had fake ID. She clearly wanted to get inside McGrady's and apparently that place did not admit her. Then there is this thing with Tempo. IF she'd had fake ID, she'd have gone right in and there wouldn't be all of this. I think she did hang around outside while JM got something inside, either settled his tab, bought something and managed to slip it out, drank some more, picked up something, used the restroom, whatever. She probably felt better having that ride offer. Not knowing the layout around there, no idea where she could have been, or what "side door" is being referred to.

 

[LG3]

For some reason it plays out in my mind, that if Hannah got into JM's car, in a very inebriated condition (be it alcohol, or date rape drugs, or whatever) most likely he was telling her he was taking her home or someplace safe. Maybe even in her state of mind, she had lost track of time and still just wanted to go to that party she was originally trying to find, around 14th and Wertland near the campus. Again, this is just how it plays out in my mind, worse case scenario - he drugged her at Tempo, she got confused and upset, and wanted to go home or back to the party she intended on going to hours ago (now having no sense of time) and he offered to give her a ride there. She pulled out her phone to text/call her friends and since she was too inebriated to text, either she asked him to text her friends or he took the phone and texted for her that she was "lost on 14th and Wertland" since he knew that was where she was trying to go. Just a speculation, trying to imagine how that text could've happened so late when she was nowhere near that area.

 

[atthelake]

I strongly suspect that was what the restaurant closing this past Monday was about...so they could have a staff meeting to tell employees what to say to reporters and curious customers. I also think it was so that the owner could impress on everyone how badly an ABC violation would affect their business and their jobs. He may have stopped short at asking them to lie for the benefit of the business but I feel that it was strongly hinted at.

Afterwards, he could have pulled the door person aside (since she has the most to lose besides him if they get a violation) and reminded her of this fact.......... before sitting down to get their stories (mostly) straight.

I dont like Tempos letter that was released a few days later either. It smacks of being written by a lawyer in another town instead of a local business owner handling the issue with sincerity and compassion.
On top of that, the letter then selfishly points out what Tempo has done to help the case as if the owner and the restaurant are due something from acting like decent human beings.

His statements in the video above shows the same selfishness IMO. If I werent convinced of JLMs guilt I might think that maybe, just maybe, the police should be looking at the owner as a suspect as well.

Ahhhh, the letter which at the top in bold mistakenly referred to her name as Heather :thumbdown:

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2

 

[LG3]

As for the side door at Tempo, since JM was able to exit the side door and obviously knew of it, it's also entirely possible that after meeting Hannah on the mall, he told her to wait at the side door while he went in the front. He bought beers, then pretended to exit the side door and let her inside. From there, they had their drinks, then exited via the side door. That would explain why door staff didn't ever see HER come in, but also explain why other bar patrons saw Hannah inside the bar. It's not as far fetched as it sounds. When bars have a side door and no doorman/woman checking ID's at said side door, it's very possible to sneak someone in that way as smokers or people exiting the bar are going out that side entrance. I know this because I live in Charlottesville and frequent the downtown mall, and know many establishments that have a side door mostly designed to allow smokers to go outside and take their drinks out with them. I can't tell you if that's how Tempo is, because I've never been there, but I'll definitely take note of it next time I'm on the downtown mall!

 

[jamicat]

I think it's pretty simple what happened with Hannah. Had too many drinks at some party and was headed to yet another venue when she got turned around in her directions. Happened to me a couple of weeks ago, and I was't drinking. I think LE knows well where she was going, as they have talked to her friends and those to whom she was texting and planning to meet that night. They just aren't releasing that info. No need to do so.

She got lost and erratically walked and ran around the area until she found herself at McGrady's, wanted to go in there in hopes of seeing some UVA folks she might know, but didn't have the ID to gain entry. McGrady's is the most likely place in that mall to see UVA students is what some students tell me. So now she's trying to get her bearing straight, maybe called, texted some people, couldn't reach them--again LE probably knows all of this as do her friends, when she runs into Jm with his friendly offer of a ride. Being less acute than usual from the drinking, tired, lost and upset, the offer sounds awfully good. JM probably says he works at UVAMC, which he does, and was a cab driver and could get her where ever lickety split. Just gotta pick up some things at Tempo, which is an upscale place and not in some hidden place to fear, so she goes with him. Whether she went in or not is a questions, but JM most likely did for a few minutes. Mayb have bought a couple of beers (as reported somewhere) snuck them out, and gave her one. They then went off somewhere together.

Whether the one eye witness report is accurate about how she could hardly stand, we can't say for sure. IF so, I do wonder how Hannah could get incapacitated so quickly. No proof that she had a drink with JM anywhere. Maybe JM drank down both drinks, maybe it was an earlier tab he had to pay. BUt they did go off somewhere together. I think up to here, it's that simple. What happened next is not.

 

[LG3]

Perhaps Hannah was distraught at being turned down at McGrady's and he offered to sneak her into Tempo. He went in the front, bought the beers, and had her wait the side door. When he pretended to walk out the side door, he ushered her in and then they had their beers. At that point he may or may not have slipped something into her drink. Then at last call, they exited the side door where he held her up because she was unable to walk by herself. It would certainly explain why patrons could place her inside the bar that night, but bar staff insists she did not enter. Just a thought, my own opinion and speculation. Trying to make sense of this.

 

[LG3]

jamicat, are you familiar with the Charlottesville area? Where she started out and where she ended up is so troubling. The Charlottesville area has the UVA "Corner" of town, where all the students live, party, and go to school. It's significantly far and very different from the downtown mall area she ended up at. McGrady's is also not a college bar. It's nowhere near "the Corner." I'm not trying to start an argument with you, but as a Charlottesville resident, I can promise you, students really do not frequent the downtown mall. It's a much older crowd, "townies" as the students would probably call them. "The Corner" is the student area of town, which is where she started out. For her to get that far away is very troubling. It's not like the Corner and the Downtown Mall are right next to each other. It's almost a mile walk. McGrady's is not known for being a college bar - it's MUCH closer to the downtown mall than the student area of the Corner.

Again, not trying to argue but wanted to provide some insight from someone who lives in the area.

 

[random989898]

jamicat, are you familiar with the Charlottesville area? Where she started out and where she ended up is so troubling. The Charlottesville area has the UVA "Corner" of town, where all the students live, party, and go to school. It's significantly far and very different from the downtown mall area she ended up at. McGrady's is also not a college bar. It's nowhere near "the Corner." I'm not trying to start an argument with you, but as a Charlottesville resident, I can promise you, students really do not frequent the downtown mall. It's a much older crowd, "townies" as the students would probably call them. "The Corner" is the student area of town, which is where she started out. For her to get that far away is very troubling. It's not like the Corner and the Downtown Mall are right next to each other. It's almost a mile walk. McGrady's is not known for being a college bar - it's MUCH closer to the downtown mall than the student area of the Corner.

Again, not trying to argue but wanted to provide some insight from someone who lives in the area.

There were reports early on that Hannah was very familiar with McGrady's as that is where her ski team frequently went, rather than the Corner. Also Hannah frequently went out running in the morning as per her twitter so a mile walk is nothing for an 18 yr old athlete. There was also mention (not sure if it was rumor or confirmed) that there was a frat party at McGrady's that night.

 

[sixecho]

I think it's pretty simple what happened with Hannah. Had too many drinks at some party and was headed to yet another venue when she got turned around in her directions. Happened to me a couple of weeks ago, and I was't drinking. I think LE knows well where she was going, as they have talked to her friends and those to whom she was texting and planning to meet that night. They just aren't releasing that info. No need to do so.

She got lost and erratically walked and ran around the area until she found herself at McGrady's, wanted to go in there in hopes of seeing some UVA folks she might know, but didn't have the ID to gain entry. McGrady's is the most likely place in that mall to see UVA students is what some students tell me. So now she's trying to get her bearing straight, maybe called, texted some people, couldn't reach them--again LE probably knows all of this as do her friends, when she runs into Jm with his friendly offer of a ride. Being less acute than usual from the drinking, tired, lost and upset, the offer sounds awfully good. JM probably says he works at UVAMC, which he does, and was a cab driver and could get her where ever lickety split. Just gotta pick up some things at Tempo, which is an upscale place and not in some hidden place to fear, so she goes with him. Whether she went in or not is a questions, but JM most likely did for a few minutes. Mayb have bought a couple of beers (as reported somewhere) snuck them out, and gave her one. They then went off somewhere together.

Whether the one eye witness report is accurate about how she could hardly stand, we can't say for sure. IF so, I do wonder how Hannah could get incapacitated so quickly. No proof that she had a drink with JM anywhere. Maybe JM drank down both drinks, maybe it was an earlier tab he had to pay. BUt they did go off somewhere together. I think up to here, it's that simple. What happened next is not.

My only thing is that she had GPS... I know GPS is not that accurate but I can't believe she'd be so lost. I understand it's totally possible but it baffles my mind still. She was also a 2nd year so you'd think she'd be a little familiar with the area. Also, I have to wonder what JM planned to do to her after he raped his victim. Sorry to be so graphic but I'm just trying to understand what may have been going through his mind. That car seemed to little to do anything. HG herself was a tall girl. What did he plan to do with her afterwards? Drop her back at home? Or did he have the mindset that he would take her life from the get go. I'd assume he'd want to go back to her place or his place where there is a bed. Again, sorry for the details. I hope I wasn't too graphic...

 

[distracted]

observation, in my experience as someone who partied heavily back in the day, I have never seen a young girl who was sloshed gulp down bottled beers without throwing them right up ( mostly because of the amount of air they gulped down with the beer) . How long do you all think it would have taken HG to sip those beers? I don't even picture her drinking outside of Tempo.The stories by the employees/owner are not believable, imo. I think they are telling half of the story.

First, have we established that it was beer he bought because there are contradicting reports in the media? We've discussed it here but I don't think we came to a definitive conclusion.

With regard to her being able to chug a beer without throwing it up, I think that depends on the person and his/her tolerance. She liked to drink so it's possible it wouldn't have been a big deal. And she had been walking for awhile so she was probably thirsty. FWIW, I am not discounting the possibility that she was roofied. I just think she could have consumed more than one drink/beer while she was inside.

And I agree with you - I believe she was in the bar.

 

[jamicat]

I was just in Charlottesville this summer, but no I am not familiar with the area I was at UVA, and yes, I know it's not near the mall. Looking at some info that UVA gave out, McGrady's is listed as a place to go for tallgating and after UVA games, and it was mentoned that it was not as popular as some other places because of it's location far from the campus. I noticed and remembered that because "McGrady" is a family name of ours. So I know from that bit of info that it is not a college bar due to location, BUT, if one is in that mall area, it is the most likely place to find a UVA student.

I think Hannah turned herself around with her directions and went the opposite way she wanted to go. Maybe due to having had too much to drink. Maybe not. As I've said earlier, I did the same, not long ago and I had not been drinking. Ended up at a place, exactly the opposite of where I should have been. Could just turn it over nearly perfectly. LE seems to think this happened too. I think Hannah's friends have shared their texts, plans and conversation that they'd had with Hannah with LE, and so LE knows where she was headed, and how she ended up where she did. I ended up about 3 miles from where I wanted to be, by the way, which was very troubling to me, when I did the same, and was able to flag a cab and get where I wanted to be in a matter of minutes. Felt very stupid. But my mind was on other things while I was walking along, and I did not notice how far I'd gone out of my way for a good long time.

I did not go to the downtown mall area of Charlottesville at all, by the way, so other than the name McGrady's, I have no idea of anything there. Was the university the entire time and then headed elsewhere out of town.