Federal jury rules against couple who sued Arkansas steakhouse over social-distancing brawl

By ANDREW DeMILLO
Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A federal jury has ruled against a Black couple who sued a Little Rock steakhouse over a fight the couple had with white customers who weren’t wearing masks and stood too close during the COVID-19 pandemic. The jury on Monday found no negligence or racial discrimination by Saltgrass Steakhouse, which was sued over the 2020 brawl. The fight was caught on cellphone and widely shared on social media. The lawsuit says the restaurant’s staff didn’t intervene when the customers harassed and intentionally stood near the couple, who asked them to move because of concerns about COVID-19.