Richmond, VA – A Virginia jury has awarded two families a total of $750,000, finding that a campground owner discriminated against them based on racial prejudice. The incident occurred at Lazy Cove Campground in June 2020 when a campground owner objected to the presence of a Black guest.
Amanda Mills and Angela Smith, friends planning a joint family camping excursion, faced unexpected discrimination that altered their experience. Angela Smith, who is white, her Black husband Damien Smith, and their young son were set to join the Mills family for a relaxing stay. However, the families’ plans were disrupted by a discriminatory call from campground owner Regina Turner.
Turner bluntly expressed to Mills over the phone that she was unaware Damien Smith was Black, stating she would not have rented the space had she known. This conversation, part of a complaint later filed with the Virginia Fair Housing Board, initiated a serious legal response.
Court documents reveal Turner’s reluctance to evict the families immediately due to potential legal ramifications, indicating a calculated delay in discriminatory actions to sidestep consequences. This situation led to the involvement of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office and the Virginia Fair Housing Board which filed a civil suit against Turner, encompassing one charge of refusal to rent and two counts of discrimination.
The lawsuit concluded with the families being awarded $100,000 each in compensatory damages. Additionally, the jury designated $550,000 in punitive damages, aiming to deter similar discriminatory acts in the future.
Attorney General Jason Miyares commented on the verdict, highlighting the community’s stance against discrimination and expressing pride in the Civil Rights Unit’s efforts. Damien Smith, reflecting on the ordeal, lamented the ongoing struggle against racial bias, emphasizing the inappropriateness of such judgment in the modern world.
This legal triumph marks a significant milestone, surpassing the state’s previous record for a fair housing victory set by a 2011 case involving sexual harassment, which resulted in a $200,000 judgment.
Following the verdict, Turner’s attorney, Holland Perdue – also the mayor of Rocky Mount – filed a motion to challenge the jury’s decision. The contention is set to be revisited in court on April 8.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Turner denied evicting the families, claiming that despite past discriminatory practices by her late husband, her campground now welcomes “all kinds of people.” She described feeling “betrayed” due to not being forewarned about Damien Smith’s race.
This article was generated by OpenAI and draws on information available up to early 2023. The people, facts, and circumstances described herein may contain inaccuracies. For corrections, removals, or retractions, please contact contact@publiclawlibrary.org.