CHARLESTON – A second lawsuit has been filed related to a group of youth cheerleaders who claim they were victim of racial discrimination by a South Charleston hotel.
Courtney Campbell filed her complaint January 17 against Hope Carrol and Chesapeake Hospitality LLC doing business as Holiday Inn and Suites Charleston West. Carroll is general manager of the hotel, and Campbell was cheer director for the Dunbar Bullpups C Team.
“Courtney Campbell is an excellent role model in our community, and has always provided young children with encouragement and hope to become their best,” attorney Michael Cary told The West Virginia Record. “What she endured was completely unlawful, and I will make sure that she and every child involved gets justice.”
Michael Cary
| Courtesy photo
According to her complaint, Campbell made a reservation for three rooms at a discounted rate at the hotel, which she says specifically touts on social media and encourages sports teams to stay at the facility and enjoy the accommodations.
Campbell says she told hotel staff she was booking to surprise 25 girls between the ages of 5 and 7 with a pool party and slumber party for winning first place in a recent championship. The reservation also would include five adult chaperones.
When Campbell arrived at the hotel on December 3, she says she had a conversation with the hotel staff about the number of beds in the three rooms. She says she was assured the staff would provide additional cots in the rooms to accommodate the children and chaperones. She says she also was told the pool would be open until 11 p.m.
“There were no issues raised by the staff regarding the number of children or adults staying overnight or the pool party planned for the evening,” the complaint states. “When the first three Caucasian children arrived with their parents to check in, the staff greeted them with welcoming smiles and friendly salutations.”
Campbell says things changed when Black children began to arrive with their families. She says Carroll stopped the groups and said, “This is going to end badly.”
“Carroll then began telling the girls that they were breaking numerous rules and that they needed to leave the establishment,” the complaint states. “Immediately, the young children began crying out of fear and confusion.”
When Carroll was asked what rules were being violated, Campbell says she refused to answer and proceeded to talk directly to the girls and “shoo” them out of the front door, “forcing the crying children out into the cold at night.”
“The frightened and heartbroken young girls had not made it past the main hotel lobby to take their coats and backpacks off before being forced to leave the premises by defendant Carroll,” the complaint states. “More concerning, the frantic minor children were attempting to send text messages to their parents from their cell phones but were unable to because they had not been at the hotel long enough to connect to the hotel wireless internet.”
Campbell says the chaperones called her about the incident, and she immediately called the hotel. She says Carroll again refused to answer questions, instead saying, “They all had to leave.”
When Campbell arrived at the hotel, she says Carroll grabbed her. When Campbell asked Carroll not to touch her, she says Carroll replied, “I barely touched you.” When she asked Carroll for a business card, Campbell says she refused to give her one.
Campbell says Carroll’s racist and inhumane treatment of her should be expected because she “consistently ‘likes and follows’ several known extremist hate groups on Facebook such as Analyzing America and the Old Tombstone Gazette.”
Campbell accuses the defendants of unlawful discrimination in violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act, negligent hiring, negligent supervision, negligent retention, negligence and civil assault and battery.
She seeks compensatory damages for permanent psychological injuries, pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, indignity, embarrassment, humiliation, annoyance, shame, inconvenience and other damages. She also seeks punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, attorney fees, court costs and other relief.
Last month, the parents of one of the cheerleaders filed a similar complaint against the same defendants.
Like the parents in the first complaint, Campbell is being represented by Cary of Cary Law Office in Charleston. The case has been assigned to circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 23-C-34