Posted on 12/08/2004 10:10:50 AM PST by lindor
BANGOR - An Old Town man filed a discrimination lawsuit in federal court Monday alleging that Dunkin' Donuts in Old Town refused him service because of his race. Anthony Watkins, 51, is seeking $50,000 in compensatory damages and $250,000 in punitive damages from Lovley Development Inc., the Newport firm that owns the Old Town Dunkin' Donuts franchise. He also is seeking a jury trial and a $10,000 fine under the Maine Civil Rights Act.
Greg Lovley, owner of the coffee shop, said Tuesday that he had not received a copy of the lawsuit. He said that Watkins had not been refused service but had refused to place an order.
"I've been in business 24 years, served millions of customers and never had a complaint like this," Lovley said Tuesday.
Old Town businessman Watkins, who is black, and his 6-year-old son allege that they were in the store on March 14, 2003, when clerks ignored them for at least five minutes to wait on other customers, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
When Watkins complained about his treatment, store personnel called Old Town police.
"Mr. Watkins picked his son up after school and they went across Stillwater Avenue to Dunkin' Donuts because Friday was doughnut day" for them, Watkins' attorney, Brett Baber of Bangor, said Monday. "He is pursuing this because of his son."
When other customers saw Watkins and his son waiting, they offered to let the pair in line ahead of them, Baber said. At that point, Dunkin' Donuts' personnel allegedly accused Watkins of cutting in line. Watkins disputed that and had to raise his voice to be heard over the televisions that were playing loudly in the coffee shop, Baber said Monday.
Lovley said Tuesday that Watkins went to a register that was closed instead of the two that were open. When told the register was closed, Watkins argued with employees until other customers let him in line in front of them, according to the owner. He refused to give an order in that line, and because of his behavior, employees called the police to have Watkins removed.
Old Town police said Monday that there is no report about the incident on file.
Watkins had no complaints about the way police handled the situation, according to Baber.
Officers told the boy that his father "was standing up for his rights," the attorney said Monday.
Earlier this year, Watkins filed a complaint with the Maine Human Rights Commission but received a right-to-sue letter last month when the commission did not rule on his case in the required time period.
That's happened to me and I always thought it was because I'm short. Maybe I should sue?
That's happened to me and I always thought it was because I'm short.You mean vertically challenged, right?
Somebody ping Johnny Cockran
LOL!
This sounds far more plausible than the plaintiff's claim.
I hope this idiot and his greasy lawyer get spanked with sanctions for filing a frivolous lawsuit.
Maine has black people?
SSShhh! A BLACK man is speaking. Lets all listen!
What crock this tale is.
If that is how it happened then it sounds they maybe should sue HIM.
Gee, did those other customers happen to be IN LINE AHEAD OF HIM?!?!
There's no law saying you have to serve A****les.
This is why I'm poor... I never think of these things *LOL*
I've stood in line longer than that before being noticed. I hope a black judge spits in this guy's eye when he throws the case out of court.
Denny's bought out Dunkin?
Sounds like someone wanted some publicity. What next? Jesse "Extortion" Jackson leading demonstrations unless Dunkin Donuts makes a large donation to his Rainbow Coalition.
That's happened to me, too! I have observed for years that taller people get waited on before short people. LOL We just have to speak a little louder. :)
I see 300,000 reasons why he is filing this suit, and not one of them has to do with his son....
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