Man sues Portland hotel for $10 million for discrimination

(OCTOBER 12, 2019) Jermaine Massey came to Portland for a concert. He stayed at the DoubleTree Hotel in the Lloyd District. Now he is suing the hotel because of something that happened.

To sue someone means "to take legal action against someone and try to get money from them because they have harmed you," according to Cambridge Learner's Dictionary.

Massey says he was in the lobby. He was talking on his cell phone with his mother. A hotel manager called a security officer. The security officer asked Massey a lot of questions. They thought he was loitering ("to stand in a place or walk slowly around without any purpose," often illegally).

The security officer and hotel manager called the Portland police. Two police officers took Massey to his room to get his things. Then they took him out of the hotel.

Massey is African American. He says the hotel's action was discrimination because of his race. He says it was harassment. He made a video of his experience on his cell phone.

The hotel apologized. It fired the manager and the security guard. It provided employees with training about discrimination.

Massey is suing for $3 million for emotional damages (such as mental stress and anxiety) and $7 million in punitive damages (punishment) against the hotel. The lawyer says this will help to prevent future discrimination at all of the company's hotels across the nation.