Baltimore bouncer pleads guilty for assault caught on video outside Federal Hill bar
A bouncer who served five months in jail after a viral video showed him putting a man into a chokehold outside of a bar in Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood in September 2025 won't have to serve additional time.
Kevin Weaver, 42, pleaded guilty on Monday to first-degree assault charges. He was sentenced to nine years in jail, with all but five months suspended. However, with his time already served, Weaver won't spend more time in jail.
Weaver was also given three years of probation, is required to attend anger management therapy, and must stay away from drugs and alcohol.
In October 2025, Weaver turned himself in to the police after a cellphone video showed him choking a college student outside of Cross Street Public House, where he was working as a bouncer. He was indicted on first and second-degree assault.
"This guilty plea holds defendant Kevin Weaver accountable for a violent and unacceptable abuse of authority," Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates said. "While we understand the challenges of working security in a crowded bar, those challenges never justify the use of excessive force. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and when someone oversteps that line and violates another person's rights, there must be consequences."
Assault captured on video
The assault was captured on video and shared on social media platforms. The video showed a college student, who was identified by his attorney as Cameron Barnes, being put into a chokehold in September 2025.
A spokesperson for Cross Street Public House said Weaver was employed by contracted security service Ace Event Services Group. The bar told WJZ it ended its contract with the security company.
Weaver turned himself in to Baltimore police less than a week after the assault.
"The victim was pleased to put this entire ordeal behind them and move forward with their life," Bates said. "It is nothing short of a miracle that the victim was not permanently injured, and we hope this outcome reinforces that violence, especially by those entrusted with public safety—will not be tolerated."
Victim filed a lawsuit
In October 2025, Barnes's attorney told WJZ that a lawsuit had been filed against Weaver, the security company and Cross Street Public House.
The lawsuit claims that Barnes suffered a traumatic brain injury when his head was pushed into a car window during the incident. Attorney Brandon Woven said Barnes also suffered physical and emotional trauma from the assault.