A Caucasian mother says she was evicted because she invited African American guests over for a playdate.
Victoria Sutton invited over her black co-worker along with their five-year-old son so that the little one could play with her two daughters.
After one of the playdates – according to a new lawsuit – says landlord Allen McCoy knocked on the door of her Georgia home and called her a “n***** lover.”
She also alleges that he threatened to call Child Protective Services over her having a “n***** on their property.”
Filed by lawyers from the ACLU, the lawsuit says she was told she had two weeks to move out and that he had previously evicted a woman who wanted an African American to move in with her.
As a result – she says that she moved out of the home in December over concerns for her and her daughter’s safety.
Mr. McCoy, when confronted by a news reporter, denied the allegations, saying:
“Some of the best friends I got is colored.”
Instead, his wife Patricia claimed Sutton had been asked to move out because of damage to bathrooms, walls and doors.
But legal papers filed by Ms. Sutton say photographs reveal no such damage.
Lawyers are requesting for damages that are related to emotional distress and the “diversion of resources” in having to move.
Legal director for the ACLU of Georgia, Sean J Young, told CNN:
“Discriminatory motives are rarely spoken aloud and even more rarely caught on tape. People who discriminate are almost always able to come up with a neutral-sounding pretext for their discrimination.”
He stated a ruling in Ms. Sutton’s favor would be a “a stark reminder of the injustice that continues to thrive in Georgia today”.