Tennessee woman found guilty for denying a motel room to a blind man, his guide dog

From NewsChannel 5:

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Just shy of her 12-year anniversary in the hospitality business, Microtel Inn & Suites worker Becky Jo McHughes (pictured) was slapped with a guilty verdict Sept. 14 for denying a blind man and his guide dog access to a motel room a little more than one year ago.

"This is a tragedy, what happened here today," Peter M. Napolitano, McHughes' defense attorney, told NewsChannel 5 outside the courtroom, after the verdict was read in the early afternoon.

McHughes herself declined comment on the courtroom outcome. It stemmed from an August 10, 2009, incident in which Michael Turner, 38, a Colorado college student, tried unsuccessfully to rent a room at the Microtel on Holiday Drive in Clarksville.

Turner, legally blind from a terrible motorcycle crash 11 years ago in his native Montgomery County, told authorities that McHughes' refusal to rent the man and his family a room was because his guide dog, Amberz, was accompanying him.

McHughes told Judge Michael R. Jones the motel boasts a sign in the front lobby that reads something like, "No Animals Accepted, Except Service Animals." It was never clarified, during Tuesday's bench trial, in this Montgomery County courtroom whether Turner ever actually presented paper credentials that his four-legged friend was, in fact, a bona fide working, service animal. But the dog's role in the spirited conflict that fateful day almost became secondary during trial, as both sides painted the other party a villain who simply refused to cooperate.

"He started saying, 'It's the law! You have to give me a room,'" McHughes told the court, recounting Turner's initial approach into the motel. "'You cannot refuse me! I can own this hotel!' At another point, (Turner) said, 'I'm going to sue this hotel!'"

McHughes defense lawyers said that was precisely Turner's motive. Microtel general manager Nick Patel, who was involved in the conflict only via telephone, testified Tuesday that Turner offered him the prospect of bribery one week after the incident.

"Mr. Patel said, he called me and said, ‘for $10,000, I'll make everything go away,'" said attorney Napolitano, recalling Turner's alleged offer to Patel, via phone. "So, this has been motivated by money from the beginning."

Michael Turner vehemently denied that claim.

"No, sir," he said. "It's all principle based, so that no other blind person, or service animal, will be denied. At least in this town, ever again."

In fact, according to Turner, he's spent a lot of money on the now three trips to Clarksville to see that this case is prosecuted, and to serve as the State's star witness.

After finding Ms. McHughes guilty on this Class C misdemeanor, which is a little more serious than a traffic citation, Judge Jones set McHughes' sentencing for October 28. Potential penalties range from paying $50 to spending 30 days in jail, according to attorney Chris Clark.

Her lawyers said McHughes qualifies for what's known as pre-trial diversion. In other words, they'd like to see her record, once her sentence is duly served, wiped clean.