The former Starbucks manager who called the police on two non-paying black customers earlier this month may have a good case for bringing a defamation suit against the coffee company.
In numerous public statements, Starbucks and its CEO Kevin Johnson have gone out of their way to imply that the female manager, identified in media reports as Holly Hylton, was acting on subconscious racial motivations when she told the loitering customers to either buy a beverage or get out of her store. Crucially, Starbucks has also strongly implied that, as a factual matter, the manager violated company policy.
Defamation law varies by state, but the gist is simple: Negligently saying, or implying, something that is provably false about a private person constitutes actionable defamation, as long as the statement harms the victim’s reputation.
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14 comments:
Starbucks and the MSM rushed to judgement on this, and the price will be paid with the public's race relations and Starbucks $$.
The way Starbucks might of handled it, maybe wrong.
But if anyone walks in my store and just sits down to loiter, and does not buy anything, suspicions do come to mind, and you should take action. Starbucks is not just a Hang Out joint.
Starbucks maybe should have just asked them, if they need anything, and they would have responded, We are waiting on another person.
And go from there.
She does have a case she enforced the rules and the owner caved to snowflake pressure sue the S. t out of them.
Besides their horrible coffee, another good reason to go elsewhere.
She could use that BS of “see something say something” the govt keeps pushing. Just say they looked suspicious and was in fear of hers and the custermers lives. It works for cops all the time.
Restrooms for paying customers only. Same for tables. If you want to hang out without buying anything, the public park is across the street.
I love watching a super liberal company being racked over the coals by a bunch of cry baby liberals, because of their liberal policies. Can't wait for the next installment.
Shady Shields ant McDonald's doesn't pay to use the bathroom.
Starbucks has a corporate policy that allows anyone to come in and sit, or use the facilities. The manager violated this policy.
I would love to see her win millions.
Starbucks will be come a massive toilet for lowlife loiterers and abusers of the system. And they deserve it. Shut er down...
Close the liberal overpriced coffee shop.
11:01 That business model died years ago. How is your $22 billion dollar (sales 2017) company doing?
Often there is a policy in print in the company manual, and something entirely different in practice at the behest of superiors.
If that is the case here, I hope she ends up owning the company.
It seems unlikely that managers and stores wouldn't have targets or goals to meet concerning the customer experience, and the availability of a table after a purchase could be on a list.
More popcorn, please!
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