Stamford Marriott Update

Last Friday, an Anonymous Shaker alerted us to the news that attorneys on behalf of the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa had asserted that a woman who was raped in their parking garage on October 10, 2006 "failed to exercise due care for her own safety and the safety of her children and proper use of her senses and facilities."

Anon just emailed me a heads-up that the Stamford Marriott is clarifying that it was not their attorneys, but attorneys on behalf of their insurance company, that the hotel requested the victim-blaming defense be withdrawn when they learned of it, and that "This incident, no matter how tragic and unfortunate, should not in any way affect the reputation and credibility of our hotel."

What's interesting is that the hotel's attorney, Marc Kurzman, claims the hotel asked the defense be withdrawn "weeks ago," and yet, their statement last week on the subject made no mention of that: "Marriott is profoundly sorry that such a terrible thing happened to the victim of this violent crime. And unfortunately this situation has created a mistaken impression that Marriott lacks respect and concern for Ms. Doe or other victims of violent crime."

Nothing about how they didn't want such a defense used, at least not until all hell teaspoons were raised.

Just sayin'.

In any case, let us hope that the defense will indeed be withdrawn—and that Marriott will find itself a new insurance company, since apparently their current one flagrantly defies their wishes.