Erin Andrews Sues Hotel For $75 Million Over Peephole Tape
Erin Andrews wants Marriott International to pay out $75 million in connection to a 2008 incident where the Fox Sports reporter was secretly filmed in the nude during a stay at a Nashville Marriott.
Fox News reports that Erin Andrews initially filed her suit in 2011, and that she finally has a court date set for February 2016. In light of the impending court date, defense lawyers sought a judicial order forcing Andrews to name a specific amount that she wants in damages.
The incident in question took place in 2008 at a Nashville area Marriott, where Andrews stayed while she was in town to cover a college football game for ESPN.
While a guest at the hotel, Erin was filmed through a peephole while she undressed. The video, which contained nude footage of Andrews, was then uploaded to the Internet.
The man accused of taping Andrews through the peephole, Michael David Barrett, would eventually plead guilty to a charge of felony stalking.
“You violated me and you violated all women,” Andrews said at Barrett’s trial. “You are a sexual predator, a sexual deviant and they should lock you up.”
According to the Huffington Post, Barrett did get locked up. However, the convicted stalker is now free. He received two-and-a-half years in prison in connection with the 2008 peephole incident.
In addition to the Marriott peephole tape incident, Barrett was also convicted of stalking Andrews at two other hotels and filming her in the nude on another occasion.
According to the Washington Post, the suit filed by Erin Andrews alleges that while she was a guest at the Marriott, employees of the hotel helped Barrett invade her privacy.
The suit alleges that employees disclosed that Andrews was staying at the hotel, provided Barrett with her room number, and allowed him to book the room next to hers.
Barrett then allegedly tampered with the peephole in Andrews’ door so that he could film through it with a cell phone.
Although Barrett was not successful in selling the naked peephole tape of Erin Andrews to TMZ, the footage later surfaced online anyway.
According to the court documents obtained by the Smoking Gun, it was then that Andrews, “became aware for the first time that she had been surreptitiously videotaped while changing and/or getting dressed at various hotel rooms, and that her privacy had been invaded.”
The law suit, originally filed in 2011, names Marriott International, the owners of the specific hotel where Andrews was filmed in the nude, and Michael David Barrett as defendants.
Until recently, the claim did not specify an amount for damages. In an amendment dated October, 15, and obtained by the Smoking Gun, Andrews seeks judgement against each defendant, “jointly and severally” in the amount of $75 million, “plus costs and interests, and any other costs” that the court “deems fair.”
That means Marriott International, West End Hotel Partners, and Michael David Barrett could all be on the hook when the suit eventually goes to trial in February.
According to People, Erin Andrews’ lawyers expect the trial to last just 10 days, which seems pretty confident.
Erin Andrews is currently acting as a correspondent for Fox Sports and as a host for Dancing with the Stars, although she plans on taking a break from DWTS while she covers the World Series.
What do you think about Erin Andrews asking for $75 million in connection with the 2008 peephole video?
[Photos by Jason Merritt/Getty Images Entertainment; Asier Romero/Shutterstock]