Royal Sonesta Hotel sued, security officer accused of violent sexual assault on guest

NEW ORLEANS – A woman in town with her husband for Mardi Gras is suing a New Orleans hotel claiming that the hotel's negligence in employing a violent security guard and placing her in an isolated area with him led to her subsequent sexual assault.

LQL filed suit against Royal Sonesta Hotel-New Orleans, Royal Sonesta Inc., Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, REIT Management and Research, Alfred Groos, Matthew McGill and Christopher Howard in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on March 4, 2015.

The plaintiff asserts that on March 4-5, 2014, she and her husband were guests and patrons at the Royal Sonesta Hotel located at 300 Bourbon Street in New Orleans. She claims that they were visiting for Mardi Gras, and following the festivities on that Tuesday, returned back to the hotel. Allegedly, she and her husband became engaged in a verbal dispute and were separated to two different rooms and told that they would have to vacate the hotel immediately if they refused the arrangement. The plaintiff claims she was searching for her cell-phone, and the hotel security supervisor ordered a security officer to the plaintiff's room to help her locate it. The plaintiff alleges that the security officer than entered the room and violently sexually assaulted her. Following this she claims to have sustained extensive bruising and scratches which were indicated in a sexual assault examination that evening.

The plaintiff accuses the defendant of negligence in taking no measure to secure the plaintiff's room, failing to recognize said security officer's history of domestic violence toward women which should have been discovered by an appropriate background check and separating the plaintiff and her husband for the night, thereby exposing her to unnecessary harm.

The plaintiff seeks an unspecified amount in damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses, fear of acquiring a disease, disability, post-traumatic stress disorder, loss and impairment of life's pleasures and lost wages.

The plaintiff is represented by Monica C. Sanchez of Metairie-based Mitchell Sanchez LLC.

This case has been assigned to Divison A Judge Tiffany G. Chase.

Case no. 2015-01988.