Public Accommodations
Filed a lawsuit for a 100-member, African-American family that held a reunion, in July 2001, at the Baytree Plantation in Myrtle Beach, SC. Defendants are the Baytree III Homeowner’s Association and its president, Stuart Jenkins. The suit alleges Mr. Jenkins engaged in racial discrimination by padlocking and chaining the entrance to the pool area, closing it to reunion attendees; and reopening it to guests in all three Baytree complexes and personally inviting white guests to use the pool the day following the reunion. “This incident marked the first time that many of our small children were exposed to overt racism,” said one of the reunion plaintiffs (Turner v. Baytree III Homeowners Assoc).
Notice how the wording is essentially identical in their press release of today as the write-up on their beginning the case in 2001.
The Turners began the litigation process in 2001. The case was finally settled in 2005 . . .
Yet another example how the litigation process grinds on inexorably slowly in this country. I hope the settlement was worth the wait.