SEATTLE — A U.S. District Court jury on Wednesday decided that the city of Lake Stevens, its police officers and the owners of the now-defunct Lake Shore Inn did not discriminate against a disabled man.
Milo Kippen, 62, a paraplegic, filed a lawsuit alleging that they violated his rights under the Americans With Disabilities Act and Washington law by discriminating against him, and then retaliating by ordering him to stay out of the inn or be arrested. He alleged he was ordered to leave with his service dogs because he is disabled.
After a trial that began Monday, the jury in Judge Robert Lasnik’s court deliberated for about two hours before issuing a verdict in favor of the defendants, saying they did none of those things. According to witnesses, Kippen was banned from the restaurant because he didn’t control his dogs, which were leashed to a table but managed to get behind the bar, and waitresses and the bartender had to step over them, according to the city’s attorney, Richard Jolley of Seattle. Inn employees also said Kippen was yelling, cursing and disruptive.
"The lawsuit placed a cloud over the police department, the city and officer (Wayne) Aukerman," police Chief Randy Celori said. "I was always confident we had behaved appropriately. We don’t discriminate, and we treat everybody fairly."
Kippen and his attorney, Sid Strong, did not return a call for comment.
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