Brother Louv and the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church

Watching Burn Notice filmed in Miami, I recognized one of the properties on Star Island as being formerly owned by clients we represented in the 80s: Brother Louv and the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, known for smoking marijuana as part of its worship services at their mansion on Star Island. I remember for trial we would walk the 4 blocks to the federal courthouse from the law office in a group of like 20, surrounded by reporters and curiosity seekers. I worked for some dynamic attorneys with high profile cases that got lots of media attention. Here’s an article from The Miami Herald August 2, 1981 The Brother Louv Story by staff writer Carl Hiaasen https://www.druglibrary.net/olsen/RASTAFARI/tropic.html

Here’s a Video from Square Grouper – The Zion Coptic Mansion on Star Island. In 1975, the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church purchased a mansion on the exclusive Star Island to serve as their Miami headquarters. They soon fell into conflict with their neighbors, who didn’t appreciate Coptics arriving and leaving all day and night or the thick cloud of marijuana smoke that blanketed the property like a fog. https://vimeo.com/39662748

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Zion_Coptic_Church