A Midtown hotel employee in New York City is now suing a hotel guest who not only insulted her verbally with racial slurs, but went on to physically assault her. The unsettling display of racism was captured on video inside the lobby area of the City Club Hotel. The meltdown began when the employee informed the hotel guest that she would need to provide her identification before she could receive a room key.
Michelle Rajacic, who is a white woman, entered into the City Club Hotel after midnight on April 6th, 2018, where she demanded a room key. However, once 36-year-old employee Linda Shell, who is a black woman, asked for Rajacic’s identification, she quickly became violent. According to the Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit filed by Shell, Rajacic allegedly spat on and violently assaulted Shell after loudly berating her. In a now viral cell phone video recorded by Shell during the incident, Rajacic can be heard referring to her as a “n*gger,” “dirty f*king raunchy skank,” “dirty f*king hood rat,” “f*king ghetto ass” amongst other things. She is also heard at one point yelling,“Actually my boyfriend’s f*king family pays you,” though it is unclear exactly who her boyfriend is. While attempting to get Rajacic to exit the hotel, that is when Shell alleges that she was spat on several times and hit in the face with a cell phone.
Rajacic was arrested for the incident and subsequently convicted of third degree assault. It is unclear how much jail time she actually served. However, what is clear and even more unsettling is that the hotel allegedly gifted Rajacic with a free hotel room upon her release. Shell left the company immediately following. The hotel general manager Joshua Barbee denied that a free room was ever given to Rajacic, stating “The claims being made regarding the hotel are completely incorrect.” Sounds like the hotel is trying to protect itself from a potential lawsuit as well. Shell is suing Rajacic for an unspecified amount.
