Erin Andrews has finally taken action against the hotels that enabled her stalker, Michael David Barrett to occupy rooms next to hers and secretly videotape her.
Photo: GQ Magazine
Andrews just renewed her contract with ESPN that gives her more freedom to appear on the ABC network side of the Disney empire, in addition to working ESPN entertainment and sporting events.
Earlier this week, Erin worked at the ESPY Awards during their Red Carpet special in downtown Los Angeles and then watched the show with her partner, Max Chmerkovskiy from “Dancing With The Stars”.
Red Carpet slideshow from ESPY’s Red Carpet,
The lawsuit names Marriott International and Radisson Hotels International and seeks damages for negligence, infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy.
On several occasions during 2008, the hotel chains provided Barrett with Andrews’ room information without her permission. Andrews traveled extensively in the course of her employment with ESPN.
After obtaining that information Barrett then asked to rent the room adjacent to hers and the hotels granted that request.
Barrett was able to videotape Andrews, while she was in various staged of undress, post the video to the Internet and allegedly shop the footage for sale to TMZ.
Erin Andrews, a crime victim, ridiculed after nude video was posted on Internet
That led to his arrest and a 2009 guilty plea to stalking charges, for which is doing two and a half years of jail time.
Andrews wants to send a message with the legal action. ” I do hope that my experience will cause the hospitality industry to be more vigilant in protecting its guests from the time they reserve a hotel room until they check out,” Andrews said in a statement, which was published by CNN.
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Paula Duffy is a national sports columnist for Examiner.com and the Huffington Post and regularly comments on sports/legal matters for radio affiliates of ESPN and Fox Sports. She founded the sports information site, Incidental Contact, is the author of a line of audio books designed for sports novices and in her spare time practices law in Los Angeles.
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