Community Chat

[hoosieroriginal]

Now, if I was on the jury, this would cause me to give Erin her $75 mil.  I can't believe, during the trial, someone involved with the hotel would do something like this (or allow himself to be around someone else viewing the video - unconscionable.  I thought I heard last night he is also on the witness list (but I don't believe article confirms that).  I hope the jury hears about this.

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2016/03/03/hotel-ownership-employee-apologizes-watching-eri...

[Plaid Pants2]

Sleeze!

I'm never staying at another Marriott ever again, that's for darn sure!

[brii]

I'm sure a lot of people have watched the video since the trial started.

[MaggieMack]

The only reason he apologized publicly was to save his precious little job, what a tool. Since the jury isn't sequestered, it's very possible they are aware of this, and it might work to Marriott's detriment.

[Desertdi]

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@Plaid Pants2 wrote:

Sleeze!

I'm never staying at another Marriott ever again, that's for darn sure!

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It was not a Marriott "owned" property.     It was a franchise.     A lot would depend on whether Marriott "managed" the property, or there was another management company.    I'm NOT sticking up for the hotel..........it's just that there are legal definitions as to who was actually responsible for the employee's conduct.   (And that employee KNOWS better.)    I worked for the #1 Brand for many years.

[KathyPet]

Article says he is a employee of the group,who owns the hotel.  Marriott franchises their name to this group.  The article does not say what his title is.  Doesn't say whether he is a cook, a bellman or a officer of the group of owners. That would make a difference.  

[SydneyH]

Plenty of people have seen the footage....

[Karsa]

"Plenty of people have seen the footage", but this was one of the Hotel executives that pulled the video up at a restaurant and were commenting on Erin Andrews' body.  Someone who worked there reported this.  Erin is a victim here.  She cannot help it that plenty of people have seen it...THAT is the point.

On the Today show, they did a test of a variety of hotels...a woman checking in and a man coming in later and asking for the room next to her.  On almost every occasion, the desk person not only gave them the room near the person whose name they gave, but often told them the room number.  This is nothing to take lightly. What happened to her is horrible and it will impact her the rest of her life.

[MaggieMack]

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@KathyPet wrote:

Article says he is a employee of the group,who owns the hotel.  Marriott franchises their name to this group.  The article does not say what his title is.  Doesn't say whether he is a cook, a bellman or a officer of the group of owners. That would make a difference.  

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He was a witness for the hotel group at this trial which makes his actions even worse.

[Marianne1]

The witness, Neal Peskind, is the SVP for the company which reps the hotel group owning this franchised Marriott.  He testified in the trial the other day. 

He was out to dinner with his wife and others on Tuesday night, and they were discussing the trial (which is not illegal unless there is a gag order, which there is not in this case).

He was overheard by the staff, allegedly stating that this trial was costing him millions and he was going to view the video as much as he wanted.  The staff asked him to stop.

This is not quite the story he is telling, of course.  He says that his dinner companions were watching the video, and he asked them to stop.  He then claims that they did not stop "as fast as he would have liked".

Either way, bad taste, and goes to prove Erin's point of continuing problems stemming from the recording being made and posted.  

Culpability of the franchise partners is one of the main questions in this; is this a "but for the Marriott's..." or is this just the already convicted video taker? 

The jury will decide.

My personal opinion is that the Marriott is partially responsible, but their negligence.

If you are interested in reading a good article about the happenings with this witness in the restaurant, follow this link:

http://www.wsmv.com/story/31366114/attorney-for-marriott-ownership-group-says-andrews-video-was-play...

Interesting point to note:  Hulk Hogan is currently in court suing Gawker for $100 million for a sex tape (101 second clip, of which he is seen for 9 seconds) being posted in their site.  

Information on that here: 

http://www.wildabouttrial.com/one_off/possible-jurors-called-for-trial-between-hulk-hogan-gawker/