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LOUISIANA RECORD

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Couple says they were evicted from hotel after manager accused of them of stealing wine

NEW ORLEANS – A couple claims they were evicted from their hotel room over accusations of theft.

Kristi Cothran and Tony Spurgeon filed a suit against The Saint Hotel, Burgundy Development Lodging LLC, Canal Street Lodging LLC, Marriot International Inc. and Darryl Hill in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on June 7.

According to the claim, the plaintiffs were guests at The Saint Hotel, located at 931 Canal St. on June 6 and 7, 2015, when the incident occurred. The suit states that while in their room, the plaintiffs were accused of stealing a bottle of wine by the New Orleans Police Department and a manager of the hotel. The suit states that though the plaintiffs were told that the theft was filmed, they were never shown the film. Additionally, following the accusation, the plaintiffs were evicted from their room and told to go back home, which was Chattanooga, Tennessee. After they left, the suit states Spurgeon was called by the general manager of the hotel and told that they would be arrested upon their arrival home and they were also allegedly demanded to make a payment to the hotel and apologize for the theft. The suit also states that while on the trip, Spurgeon had planned on proposing to Cothran, and upon their return to Chattanooga, the engagement ring he had brought to the hotel was missing.

The defendants are accused of breach of duty through their failure to conduct a thorough and appropriate investigation, intruding on the plaintiffs' privacy, negligence and other counts.

The plaintiffs are seeking an unspecified amount in damages. They are represented by Peter J. Kaplan of the Law Offices of Philip J. Kaplan in Los Angeles, California, and by J. Geoffrey Ormsby and Reagan Reynolds of Smith &  Fawer LLC in New Orleans.

The case has been assigned to Division A Judge Tiffany G. Chase.

Orleans Parish Civil District Court Case number 16-5742

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