Mother Files Lawsuit Against New Orleans Restaurant After They Called Cops Following Argument with Owner Who Tried to Get Teen Celebrating Graduation Change Her Attire

La Shawn Butler took her daughter and nearly two dozen family and friends to Lula Restaurant Distillery in New Orleans, Louisiana in May to celebrate her daughter’s high school graduation. However, Butler says the police were called because her daughter, who graduated high school with honors, wore clothes that was deemed inappropriate. Now the mother is suing the restaurant for emotional distress. According to NOLA.com, Butler has accused the establishment of intentionally inflicting emotional distress on her and her 17-year-old daughter Sanai Butler by trying to “weaponize” the New Orleans Police Department because the restaurant’s co-owners didn’t approve of her daughter’s outfit.  The high school graduate wore a bikini top and matching leggings along with her graduation stole.

In court documents filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court earlier this month obtained by the publication, the lawsuit says “The conduct of the owners of Lula was extreme, outrageous and intentional. As such, they are liable for the emotional distress they caused (the Butlers) to suffer.” The defendants listed are Terrell “Bear” Caffery, Jess Michael Bourgeois, and Erin Bourgeois, identified as the co-owner and allegedly the person who didn’t’ approve of the outfit. The restaurant was also named as a defendant.

The lawsuit alleges that Bourgeois followed the teen into a restroom and asked if she could change her attire because what she was wearing was “very inappropriate.” Butler and two other family members approached the co-owner, saying, “If you had something to say about her outfit, you could have approached me as her mother.” The group then engaged in a back and forth so intense that police ultimately were called.

The news outlet reported that the eatery didn’t  have a dress code posted on its website or inside the establishment. Butler alleges that several guests who were on their way from a sporting event called ahead of time and were supposedly told to “come as you are.”

There were no arrests were made that day, however, Butler, who is represented by New Orleans-based Bagneris Law Firm claims because of the embarrassment and discrimination her daughter had to endure, she has since been seeing a psychologist. The mother believes the restaurant’s actions were racially motivated.

In a statement sent to the Advocate, the restaurant’s management said it only called the police to ensure the customers’ safety during “a verbal altercation” involving “three disruptive, adult patrons.” They  later issued an apology to “any person who (felt) that Lula discriminated against them based on their attire or race.”

A newly-hired employee who wished to remain anonymous told Nola.com that Butler’s version of the story was accurate and the treatment of the all Black party caused her to quit soon after. S

“It didn’t have to get to that point,” the employee said. Sanai will be attending Talladega College in fall.

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