Gallery President Sought in Scuffle With Patrons

Beverly Hills police have issued an arrest warrant for Upstairs Gallery President William B. McKelvey Jr. in connection with an alleged assault on two disgruntled art collectors who picketed the gallery’s Rodeo Drive branch after discovering that a $3,200 Joan Miro lithograph they bought was a fake.

The warrant for the arrest of McKelvey on charges of misdemeanor battery and disturbing the peace in the Dec. 8 scuffle with collectors Stuart Herman and Cynthia Berliner was issued last Friday, said Police Lt. Robert Curtis.

Curtis said McKelvey is expected to surrender for booking this week. McKelvey could not be reached for comment Tuesday but earlier had denied any wrongdoing. Arrest warrants also have been issued for James G. Lykes, a gallery salesman, and Robert Kent, husband of an artist displaying her work at the gallery.