Black actresses claim they were arrested for taking too long to use a restaurant bathroom
Source: Newsweek
Three black actresses claim they were arrested at a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, for allegedly taking too long in the restroom.
Erica Walker, Brittany Marie Lucio and Asia'h Sharrell Epperson asked to use the restroom at Houston's Restaurant in Atlanta on May 13. According to a police report obtained by Newsweek, an off-duty Atlanta Police Department officer who also worked at Houston's was asked by the shift manager to remove the women from the bathroom because it was after 10 p.m. and they had been asked to leave twice.
The officer stated that he found the three women using their cell phones when he walked into the restroom. When he asked the women to leave, they ignored him and laughed when asked to leave by the officer a second time. After asking a third time, the officer grabbed Lucio's wrist and asked the shift manager to open the back door. Lucio asked the officer to "let go" and slipped away from the officer's grip before saying, "Get your hands off of me."
snip
"The Atlanta Police Department is aware of the excessive force accusations made by the arrestees and the Office of Professional Standards has opened an investigation into [the] entire incident for appropriate action and whether proper procedures were followed," the statement read.
Read more: http://www.newsweek.com/houstons-restaurant-atlanta-georgia-bathroom-940592
Video & photos at link
appalachiablue
(41,168 posts)YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)Sedona
(3,769 posts)They are just wrapping up season 3 of Greenleaf on the OWN network.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2923798/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4971144/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_2
Amaryllis
(9,525 posts)catrose
(5,071 posts)in case a cop thought it was a gun.
forgotmylogin
(7,530 posts)...and if they were just socializing in the bathroom. Customers lingering after closing is a *huge* annoyance in retail. When I worked in a bookstore, we were scheduled to stay an extra hour after close to straighten up the store, and we would have customers who wouldn't leave the magazines and the cafe sometimes 20-30 minutes past closing - especially the bathrooms because we didn't want anyone to hide out when we had the doors locked.
We weren't allowed to turn our attention from customers until the store was declared clear because we didn't want to lose track of someone who might intend to pop up after hours when the staff dwindled to try and rob the place while the registers were all open and being counted down.
What I always did was walk up to people in the magazine department who were still reading after 10, notify them that the store was closed and they were welcome to take any purchases to the registers where we would be happy to check them out. Usually they'd mumble "uh-huh" and ignore me. I would stand and stare at them, repeating my request (sometimes 10-20 times) till they got the idea. I could be *really* annoying when it was time to leave.
We never had to call the cops though, but we always had 10-15 people working at close so we were never outnumbered. The cops shouldn't have needed to use excessive force, but why would anyone ignore an employee telling them "Hey, the store's closed, would you wrap it up and move toward the exit please?" It would be different if they were still doing their business or one of them was sick.
Sedona
(3,769 posts)And calling a Lyft car to come get them. There were other customers still dining when they were arrested.
Attorney Gerald A. Griggs, who is representing the women, told Newsweek that the three had friends inside the restaurant and had been told by the hostess that the kitchen was closed. When the women asked if they could use the restroom, the hostess said yes. The women, he said, used the bathroom for about 7 to 10 minutes and were using their cell phones to order a Lyft to leave the restaurant.
forgotmylogin
(7,530 posts)There's no reason they shouldn't have been able to sit with their friends until they left.
Response to Sedona (Reply #7)
left-of-center2012 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Tarheel_Dem
(31,237 posts)closing, then I understand the management's annoyance. Having worked in restaurants when I was much younger, it's a pain scheduling closing staff, and someone has to clean up when the last customers leave. Depending on how the actresses were approached by management, it's just the considerate thing to do to accede to their request. The restaurant staff most likely have families they need to get home to.
Maybe there's more to this story, but for now, three requests seems to be ample warning.
Sedona
(3,769 posts).
Tarheel_Dem
(31,237 posts)were still customers eating. Makes much more sense now.
marble falls
(57,157 posts)YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)AVOIDED ..by proper managerial skills.
dembotoz
(16,825 posts)left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)... an off-duty Atlanta Police Department officer who also worked at Houston's was asked by the shift manager to remove the women from the bathroom because it was after 10 p.m. and they had been asked to leave twice (by the managers).
When he asked the women to leave, they ignored him
and laughed when asked to leave by the officer a second time.
After asking a third time, the officer grabbed (Brittany Marie) Lucios wrist ...
(By now they had been asked five times to leave)
Lucio asked the officer to let go and slipped away from the officers grip before saying,
Get your hands off of me.
get your f**cking hands off me! You aint about to touch me.
According to the report, Lucio punched the officer in the mouth and head,
which is when he called 911 for backup.
....................................
So after being asked five times to leave, one of the women punches the cop in the mouth and head?
Demsrule86
(68,643 posts)left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)I've used Uber and Lyft hundreds of times over the past several years.
They usually show up in about 5 - 7 minutes.
Not once have I ever gone into a bathroom to call for one,
and waited in the bathroom for the car to show up.
You need to be where you can see it arrive.
After a couple minutes wait, the driver can leave without you,
and you will be charged.
After being asked five times to leave,
they should have gone outside to watch for their Lyft car to pick them up,
instead of refusing to leave the bathroom.
As Judge Judy says:
"If it doesn't make sense, it's not right".
Demsrule86
(68,643 posts)Response to Demsrule86 (Reply #20)
left-of-center2012 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Lil Missy
(17,865 posts)Demsrule86
(68,643 posts)they have handled it in a more reasonable way?