Marriott drops blame-victim defense in Conn. rape

Marriott drops blame-victim defense in Conn. rape
By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN Associated Press Writer


Aug 17th, 2009 | NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- A Marriott hotel abandoned a defense Monday in a lawsuit brought by a Connecticut woman raped at gunpoint in front of her young children: that she was careless and partially at fault.

The withdrawal followed days of backlash against Bethesda, Md.-based Marriott International Inc. after the hotel filed papers saying the victim "failed to exercise due care for her own safety and the safety of her children and proper use of her senses and facilities" -- even though her attacker was later sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The woman also accused Marriott in June of indirectly exposing her and her children's identity by seeking subpoenas for the depositions of her pilates instructor, friends and tennis partners, a house cleaner, and a baby sitter.

"This was done to expose the identities of the Doe family in their community so as to intimidate them from pursuing this case, pure and simple," attorneys Paul Slager and Ernest Teitell wrote in court papers.

Attorneys needed to determine the effect of the crime on the victim, said Marriott attorney Donald Derrico, noting that the subpoenas haven't been issued. The hotel will decide whom to subpoena on a case-by-case basis, he said.

"Her name was never, ever, ever disclosed to anyone," Derrico said.

Marriott issued a statement Friday that it was "profoundly sorry that such a terrible thing happened to the victim of this violent crime" in its parking garage. The chain said the situation has "created a mistaken impression that Marriott lacks respect" for victims of violent crimes.

Critics said the blame-the-victim defense wasn't softened by the apology.

more...

http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/us/2009/08/17/D9A4RQ9O4_us_garage_rape/index.html

Related:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=6324224
Marriott Calls Rape Victim “Negligent,” Outs Her to Family & Friends