COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Eleven survivors are suing the Red Roof Inn hotel chain in federal court.
They said the company knew sex trafficking was a problem at two properties and did nothing.
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Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell was live on Wednesday. The opening statements began late Wednesday afternoon.
Most of the plaintiffs were in court and will take the stand at some point during the trial.
They sued Red Roof Inn and a few other corporate entities a little over a year ago.
They said sex trafficking was rampant at two properties from 2009 to 2018. One is located near Windy Hill in Smyrna and the other is in Buckhead at North Druid Hills and Burford Highway.
Red Roof Inn denies the allegations and says it condemns sex trafficking in all forms.
Just before 3 p.m., 10 jurors were seated; four women and six men.
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During the opening statements, the plaintiff’s attorneys told jurors that an employee at the Buckhead location told managers, and even the vice president, that children were being sold for sex. He said the vice president also knew rooms were being sold to traffickers and the hotel was making a profit from it.
Opening statements began very late in the afternoon so there is still a lot to cover Thursday morning starting at 9:30 a.m.
The trial is expected to go on for about four weeks.
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