Those defending the Grand Gateway Hotel’s ownership group contend the pieces of the puzzle remain scrambled to the point the jury cannot in good faith return a negative result.
Meanwhile, the plaintiffs, representing NDN Collective and its associates, say after a week of debate in the courtroom there is no question discrimination occurred at the hotel.
During closing arguments, it was explained the plaintiffs are members of a legally protected class – Native peoples – and as such certain legal protections make it illegal to deny services to them. Members of the organization attempted to book a room at the hotel and were told to promptly vacate.
This comes after the president of the hotel’s parent company, Roetzel Corporation, made statements on social media and in emails which openly called for discriminatory behavior against Native peoples.
Attorneys representing NDN Collective say there was full intent for the group to purchase rooms at the hotel, and that denial of service constitutes discrimination in no uncertain terms.
The defense concedes the actions of Roetzel’s president, Connie Uhre, were racist but subsequent actions by hotel management did not constitute such charges.
They contend the hotel is the real victim, that hotel manager Nick Uhre will be known as a racist because of his mothers’ actions, and that no policy was ever placed to formally ban Indigenous peoples from the hotel.
The jury faces four questions. First, the question of discrimination. Second, if Connie Uhre’s conviction on an assault charge against Sunny Red Bear, an activist associated with NDN Collective, was done under her role as a member of Roetzel. Third and fourth are alternative charges against NDN Collective arguing the group defamed the Uhre family and caused an illegal nuisance during the process of protesting the hotel.
While no dollar amounts were requested for damages by individual members on either end of the case, NDN Collective requested a single dollar from the Uhre family should they be found liable.
