After reports that the Justice Department is considering a
request to terminate early a consent decree regarding the
owner of the Adam's Mark Hotel, Kweisi Mfume, President & CEO,
NAACP, issued the following statement:
"I am very disappointed that the Adams Mark Corporation is
apparently seeking to renege on an arrangement that was
agreed upon by all involved parties. I am equally distressed that
the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of
Justice would even consider allowing Adams Mark to go back on
its promises to the court. Such a move by the Department would
signal a retreat of unimagined proportion. Is there a connection
here that we don't understand?
"What is certain is that it sends the wrong message to innocent
people who seek protection of their civil rights and it makes a
mockery of the judicial system. Be assured that the NAACP will
be watching this situation very closely, and we will be taking
steps of our own to assure fairness in this matter."
In 1999, the NAACP, the state of Florida and the Justice
Department filed a civil rights lawsuit against the HBE
Corporation on behalf of the students. The Adam's Mark Hotel in
Daytona allegedly discriminated against the students while they
were guests attending the April 1999 Black College Reunion.
Students and guests said the hotel made them wear neon
orange wristbands, gave them low-quality rooms, restricted their
access to long-distance phones, in-room mini-bars and paid
movies.
In 2000, HBE agreed to a four-year consent decree to settle
the charges brought by the Justice Department. In 2001,
they agreed to settle claims with the state of Florida and
private plaintiffs. Under the terms of the agreement, HBE
would pay nearly $2 million in damages to the students and
the state of Florida. A portion of the settlement is to be
distributed to historically black colleges in Florida.
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