In court this week for the Fox broadcaster’s civil suit against a Nashville hotel, Erin Andrews’s lawyer claimed that the hotel disclosed her room number to her stalker, then gave him the room next to hers, from where he used a peephole to record videos of her undressing. Andrews is suing three hotels, all of which she accuses of giving out her room number to Michael David Barrett: the Marriott Nashville at Vanderbilt, The Blackwell in Columbus, Ohio, and the Radisson Milwaukee. Via Entrepreneur, Andrews alleges Barrett didn’t have to do much to get close to her. In 2008, Andrews checked into The Nashville Marriott to cover the Vanderbilt football game. Michael David Barrett, a man who had been stalking Andrews, called the hotel and asked what room Andrews was staying in. He was provided with the room number, allowing him to book the room next to her, rig her peephole and record her undressing. He later uploaded the footage to the Internet where it has been viewed more than 300 million times. http://deadspin.com/erin-andrews-accuses-hotels-of-giving-her-stalker-rooms-1761526643
Incredible that the hotel gave the creep her room number and let him have the room next to her when he requested it. I also think his prison sentence should have been much longer than 2 yrs.
That's all pretty sick. .. Stalkers are such lowlifes anyway. I've been watching the news stories on this. Millions of views of her naked on the Internet!! It's really turned her world upside down, and she's now got health issues related to it too .... the rash (hives) attacking her neck and face from all the stress. I wonder if she will be back as sports commentator next fall or hang it up. And then there is Dancing with the Stars too.
I felt bad for her when her dad was testifying. I was also listening to someone on a talk show commenting about it. They pointed out that hotels can be scarey, when you think about it. Even the best ones – no matter how upscale. Anyone can walk in/out, 24/7/365, usually without being questioned. But this guy registered and was a guest. And where was hotel security when he was drilling or whatever he did to reverse the peephole in her door and videotaping? Talk about dropping the ball. Wow.
UPDATE Jury awards $55 million to Erin Andrews https://gma.yahoo.com/erin-andrews-...5-million-150520272--abc-news-topstories.html
btw Erin won't actually get that amount. First, the other side will appeal or ask for the award to be reduced. Then, the hotel is responsible for only 49%, stalker 51% and he ain't got it. Then her atty gets at least 1/3. So, way on down the line she might get about $18M. I think the jury calculated all that. It's a shame that, according to expert testimony, the video can't be removed from the internet and who knows how many copies are out there.
I'm so glad to see that this topic is being treated seriously here. I have a stalker, and it truly changes your life. My situation was different from hers, of course, but once you've been through it, you'll never be the same, and will often be suspicious of others. I love watching the ID channel, and I can watch some of the stalking-related shows, but some are just too much. I can't imagine having a video someone had taken of me loose on the internet, let alone a naked video. I'm glad she won the lawsuit, and I agree, she'll only end up with a fraction of that amount, and she deserves each penny of it. I worked at a few hotels when I was in school, and giving out a room number is a big no no, and I'd never place a man next to a woman he specifically requested to be next to (or vice versa), unless I knew s/he was o.k. with it.
@Ruby Begonia I agree. At first people might look at $55M and say that’s a lot – which to most of us, it is. But as I explained upthread, Erin Andrews won’t get all that, and it’ll be a long time before she actually gets anything. Okay, so she’s a celebrity and earns a lot of money anyway, but imo that’s not relevant.This was disgusting and imo Marriott should have been liable for more than half – I’d say 90%-95%. They were negligent and allowed it to happen. In addition to giving the stalker her room number and allowing him to have the room next to her, WHERE were the surveillence cameras and security when he was modifying the peephole??!
i totally agree with all on this thread. Erin Andrews was humiliated and violated by a sicko. i think the hotel should pay the whole sum. She trusted them to protect her privacy and they failed.
Plus, where is the stalker going to get millions of dollars? Not gonna happen. And I still say he should have spent a lot more time in prison than 2 yrs, but this shows the stalking laws need to be changed. (And I hope her legal team keeps an eye on any assets stalker Michaer Barrett might have or get - earnings, tax refunds, inheritances, lottery, whatever.) This story says he's living in his dad's basement. http://komonews.com/news/local/man-who-stalked-erin-andrews-living-in-his-dads-basement-in-ore
That's a good point, @Arlene Richards. I watch a lot of true crime shows, and the actual sentences many of these violent offenders and murderers get is ridiculous. In light of those sentences, I suppose a few years may seem like enough, but in my opinion, 2, 4, 8, or even 10 years is way too light of a sentence for a murderer, and many of the sentencing laws need to be reviewed and rewritten. Many don't look upon stalking as a big deal, so they think a year or two, or even just probation will stop the person. Thinking that way shows how much ignorance exists on the subject. Stalkers don't go away unless they latch onto someone else (lucky them), are incarcerated, become otherwise incapacitated, or die. I do hope they watch him for assets, and attach any he earns or inherits.
@Diane Lane if he gets even a part time minimum wage job she should get whatever % is allowed by law - forever.
All I can say is that I am glad that Andrews won her lawsuit. The Marriott can try to defend their position all they want but they were negligent. They should never have given that man the room next to her when he requested it. That was a red flag in itself. When some checks into a hotel it's up to that hotel to insure they are given the best security possible. The Marriott didn't do this and deserved to be sued for allowing her to fall prey to a stalker. To this day those videos still pop up online which is horrible because Andrews continues to be a victim as long as these exist.