A new federal lawsuit claims a white Houston’s manager in Memphis, Tennessee, accused a Black couple of smelling like marijuana before requesting they leave the restaurant last August. The complaint was filed on May 11.
According to the lawsuit, Dechandria Bass and Dwan Brown were visiting the Houston’s located at 5000 Poplar Avenue in Memphis on or around Aug. 7, 2022, from Mississippi. After they’d been seated at a table with Brown’s mother and cousin, the manager came by their table and asked them to leave while claiming they smelled “like weed.” The couple claimed they knew they did not smell like weed and remained seated.
The complaint noted that the manager — identified as Kayla Hollins — later returned to the table with a police officer and said, “I asked you to leave and come back tomorrow because you smell like weed.” The police officer then escorted the couple out of the restaurant. The restaurant’s genral manager Ralph Price is also named in the lawsuit.
Once outside, another police officer reportedly admitted to the couple that Hollins has a history of racism with the restaurant’s Black clientele and “regularly interacted this way towards Black patrons.”
Bass and Brown’s attorney Carlos Moore says the accusation his clients smelled like weed is not true, while adding there is no evidence that the couple smelled like marijuana. He claimed they were racially profiled and humiliated as a result. Moore said his clients are asking for $500,000 each in damages for “humiliation, embarrassment” and the “emotional distress” and anguish they suffered due to the actions of the Houston’s manager.
“Houston’s has a problem,” said Moore to local station WHBQ-TV of Houston’s and Hollins. “She brought a police officer with her and had them escorted out of the restaurant, embarrassed them in front of his mom and his cousin, entire restaurant.”
“Now that the lawsuit is officially filed, Houston’s can no longer ignore me,” he continued.
The lawsuit also accused Houston’s of “malicious, callous, bad faith, willful, wanton, and reckless misconduct” by refusig to serve the couple and having them removed from the restaurant.
Another family says they were also asked to leave the same Houston’s around the same month as the couple. Marcus Mosby — a 28-year veteran police officer — says that he and his high school principal wife were asked to leave by the manager after they were accused of smelling like marijuana.
“She said, ‘There’s a strong odor of marijuana coming from your party in this area.’ I said, ‘Ma’am, we don’t smoke marijuana,” Mosby recalled. “You’re mistaken.’ She said, ‘I’ve gotten complaints. People have called and said they smell.’ I said, ‘Ma’am, no one has walked past us but you.’”
Mosby said that the manager later apologized and admitted she was mistaken, but he doesn’t plan to eat at the restaurant again.
Houston’s parent company, Hillstone Restaurant Group, released statement claiming they do not discriminate.
“While we do not comment on pending litigation, our Company does not discriminate. We are proud that guests of all races choose to dine regularly at Houston’s Memphis and appreciate our hospitality.”
You the parent company may not discriminate but it seems this manager does.
This manager is a diehard racist, who will never venture to travel of America(which people like her regard as the global world).
Anyway she lucky that America is the only continent she has lived in that truly exist. People like her are given a gong and a samba by the chief/king in African countries to go to the local market to beat the samba and announce curtly that she had farted in the market where the righteous were buying selling. That the mess from her ass that polluted the noses of the bystanders in the market was not from the baby on the stroller she was pushing around but from her own ass. After telling the truth she would then be straddled in the local market, either her clitoris is sliced off or granulated chilli-peppers is incited into her vagina. With that I rest my punishment for her.
My question is, was this woman dismissed from her position for her negative interactions with customers?
It’s always disheartening when a read like this comes through the wire! I’m certainly not aware of any law or other legislation that identifies “smelling like weed” as a violation of the law!!! The absolute travesty here isn’t that the couple allegedly had what is described as an “ unpleasant odor” but rather, the manager was and apparently has been allowed by the parent company to use this obvious discriminatory practice to mistreat patrons of color with complete indemnification! The $500,000 per complainant that has been requested in the initial lawsuit isn’t nearly enough to send an appropriate message to businesses owners that this type of public and unprofessional conduct will not be tolerated!!!!
It’s seems at though, no matter how far past the events that were considered the norm during her time of grandure allogations against, those would be fine citizens, of whom do not share her persuasion of skin color. Like most people, of whom share her mindset, the war and race against all other, except her on is alive and well. It isn’t uncommon in 2023, that we can still find more than a remnant of racially driven hater, alive. Donald Trump showed us that no matter the distance, we as a people of color try or attempt to place on our dealings with rracially driven hate. It seems and will be alive and well from within the ranks. I digress to the overwhelming events, we still witness across our nations near and abroad.
It’s seems all though, no matter how far past the events that were considered the norm during her time of grandure allogations against, those would be fine citizens, of whom do not share her persuasion of skin color. Like most people, of whom share her mindset, the war and race against all other, except her on is alive and well. It isn’t uncommon in 2023, that we can still find more than a remnant of racially driven hater, alive. Donald Trump showed us that no matter the distance, we as a people of color try or attempt to place on our dealings with rracially driven hate. It seems and will be alive and well from within the ranks. I digress to the overwhelming events, we still witness across our nations near and abroad.
Be glad they did not serve you. Think what might have beenin your food. Hit them in the pocket where it hurts.By the way, does she smell evrry customer. She must have a fetish. Once again, count your blessings, but make them pay. Good luck!
Discrimination is definitely at the location in Houston Texas. It has happened in many different forms. It’s as if this is part of the training from corporate. I think if they see themselves in a video 📹 doing this, then corporate will have to address the issue. 📷 comes in all shapes and sizes.
He is really racist towards people of color if he treats people of color that way and not people of color a different way he should not be in business slavery days are over stop hating on people of color we all black or white have the same color blood at the end of the day we ate all still God’s children no matter what cor you are
I’m sure there’s more to this story… and then I see they are seeking $500k. All makes sense now.
The ”Manager” has apparently been fired.
According to the smallest google search, you do on past discrimination, of african-americans at this paticular restraunt the manager, apparently kicked out a black memphis police officer before because he smelled like weed really?
A cop in uniform smelling like weed?
Obvius racist if you ask me.
The cops that responded to the scene and escorted them out and later admitting it is a pattern behavior SHOULD HAVE stopped this nonsense right there. If that part of the story is true, then the cops are weak piece of crap pawn for the racist restaurant manager.
They must have smelled like weed. Doesn’t matter the color but it just so happened to be black so now its a big deal. Whatever always prejudice & wanting to press law suit as usual. Easy money!
Weed heads you smell from a mile away!!! You all know that. Cops must remove someone asked to leave private property.