VISALIA, CA (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) –Tim Jones, one of the four singers/songwriters of the musical group Truth & Salvage Company, was allegedly shaken awake and ripped from his bed by hotel security and local police while sleeping at the Marriott Hotel in Visalia, CA, according to a recent lawsuit filed in Tulare County, CA.
Jones, a Marriott rewards member and a registered guest staying the night at the Visalia Marriott in February 2010, was allegedly handcuffed, assaulted, taken to jail and cited for trespassing and resisting arrest in his own hotel room after performing at a concert earlier in the evening.
In the wake of the assault and imprisonment, Jones filed suit against Marriott Hotel Corporation on four counts, including negligence, negligent supervision, assault and battery.
The singer/songwriter was allegedly forced to spend the night in a Visalia jail cell. Jones was finally released at noon the following day.
One month after the incident, Jones was set to be arraigned in the Tulare County Superior Court. Legal representatives of the band arrived at the courthouse to answer for Jones, only to find that the District Attorney's office had allegedly not filed any charges against Jones.
To date, charges have not been filed and Visalia Police have refused to release the police incident report to the Los Angeles based Jordan Law Group, PLC; the Truth and Salvage legal team.
Attorney Vahe Jordan was quoted as saying, "We’re hopeful that Marriott will accept responsibility for the way they treated Jones, who has been a loyal customer for many years."
Marriott experienced a public relations nightmare last year that spread in blogs, stemming from the legal position their Stamford, Connecticut franchisee attorneys took when a woman brought suit citing security shortcomings after allegedly being raped in the presence of her two children while in a parking structure located at the Stamford Marriott Hotel and Spa.
Court documents filed by the Marriott franchisee attorneys last year state the victim "failed to exercise due care for her own safety and the safety of her children and proper use of her senses and facilities."
The defense was viewed by many as blaming the victim. Marriott later dropped that defense.
As for Jones, he did not have any outstanding warrants; he wasn't suspected of, nor accused of, any crime prior to being violated by Marriott Security staff and the Visalia Police. He later received medical treatment for injuries sustained during the arrest.
Currently, Tim Jones and his band Truth & Salvage Co. are touring the United States in support of their self-titled debut album. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
