[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]An Old Town man filed a discrimination lawsuit in federal court Monday alleging that Dunkin' Donuts in Old Town refused him service because of his race.
Anthony Watkins, 51, is seeking $50,000 in compensatory damages and $250,000 in punitive damages from Lovley Development Inc., the Newport firm that owns the Old Town Dunkin' Donuts franchise.
He also is seeking a jury trial and a $10,000 fine under the Maine Civil Rights Act.
Greg Lovley, owner of the coffee shop, said Tuesday that he had not received a copy of the lawsuit. He said that Watkins had not been refused service but had refused to place an order. "I've been in business 24 years, served millions of customers and never had a complaint like this," Lovley said Tuesday.
Old Town businessman Watkins, who is black, and his 6-year-old son allege that they were in the store on March 14, 2003, when clerks ignored them for at least five minutes to wait on other customers, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
When Watkins complained about his treatment, store personnel called Old Town police.
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Anthony Watkins, 51, is seeking $50,000 in compensatory damages and $250,000 in punitive damages from Lovley Development Inc., the Newport firm that owns the Old Town Dunkin' Donuts franchise.
He also is seeking a jury trial and a $10,000 fine under the Maine Civil Rights Act.
Greg Lovley, owner of the coffee shop, said Tuesday that he had not received a copy of the lawsuit. He said that Watkins had not been refused service but had refused to place an order. "I've been in business 24 years, served millions of customers and never had a complaint like this," Lovley said Tuesday.
Old Town businessman Watkins, who is black, and his 6-year-old son allege that they were in the store on March 14, 2003, when clerks ignored them for at least five minutes to wait on other customers, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
When Watkins complained about his treatment, store personnel called Old Town police.
http://www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=104721
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