A lawyer, who is African American, has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit after he says he was wrongfully denied entry into a night club on Washington Avenue near downtown Houston due to his race and sex.
Willie Powells is a personal injury attorney whose face is on advertising billboards around town. In September 2021, Powells says he went to the Sugar Room at 5120 Washington Avenue to celebrate a former employee at a combo birthday/going away party.
Powells said he was stopped at the door and told he could not come inside because of holes in his jeans.
According to the lawsuit, “he was stopped by the “head of security,” and was told that he could not enter the event because he had “holes” in his jeans. Attorney Powells pointed out to the head of security that he did not have any holes in his jeans but the jeans were designed to appear to have patches. The jeans were clean and unwrinkled.”
“I explained to them that there are no holes; showed them there were no holes, and they basically said you still can’t come in,” said Powells. “While I’m waiting people are just walking by actually with holes in their pants.”
He said he began to record video outside as he waited to tell his friends, who had not yet arrived, that he could not get into the Sugar Room due to his attire. Powells says the video he captured shows non-Black men and women with holes in their pants being let in.
“A person walked in with holes size of boulders, her knees were completely out,” said Powells who said he questioned the person working the door. “He said, oh but it doesn’t apply to females.”
As of April 26, 2022, the Sugar Room’s website did not state there was a dress code for men or women.
“I thought maybe people would stop doing this. Clubs would realize that people needed to be treated fairly and obey the laws,” said Randall Kallinen, the civil rights attorney representing Powells in the lawsuit.
The discrimination lawsuit, which lists Powells accomplishments in his career and in the community, seeks one million dollars in total damages. The suit indicates Powells has suffered “great shame, anxiety, anger, depression, and other mental anguish due to these events”.
KPRC 2 has reached out to Sundown Entertainment which owns the night club for a response to the lawsuit, but so far there has been no reply to our requests for comment.
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Willie Powells is a personal injury attorney whose face is on advertising billboards around town. In September 2021, Powells says he went to the Sugar Room at 5120 Washington Avenue to celebrate a former employee at a combo birthday/going away party.
Powells said he was stopped at the door and told he could not come inside because of holes in his jeans.
According to the lawsuit, “he was stopped by the “head of security,” and was told that he could not enter the event because he had “holes” in his jeans. Attorney Powells pointed out to the head of security that he did not have any holes in his jeans but the jeans were designed to appear to have patches. The jeans were clean and unwrinkled.”
“I explained to them that there are no holes; showed them there were no holes, and they basically said you still can’t come in,” said Powells. “While I’m waiting people are just walking by actually with holes in their pants.”
He said he began to record video outside as he waited to tell his friends, who had not yet arrived, that he could not get into the Sugar Room due to his attire. Powells says the video he captured shows non-Black men and women with holes in their pants being let in.
“A person walked in with holes size of boulders, her knees were completely out,” said Powells who said he questioned the person working the door. “He said, oh but it doesn’t apply to females.”
As of April 26, 2022, the Sugar Room’s website did not state there was a dress code for men or women.
“I thought maybe people would stop doing this. Clubs would realize that people needed to be treated fairly and obey the laws,” said Randall Kallinen, the civil rights attorney representing Powells in the lawsuit.
The discrimination lawsuit, which lists Powells accomplishments in his career and in the community, seeks one million dollars in total damages. The suit indicates Powells has suffered “great shame, anxiety, anger, depression, and other mental anguish due to these events”.
KPRC 2 has reached out to Sundown Entertainment which owns the night club for a response to the lawsuit, but so far there has been no reply to our requests for comment.
Continue reading...