Two black women sue Pennsylvania golf club after white owner called 911 because they were playing too slow
Two women are suing the owner of a golf course for racial and gender discrimination after he called the police on two years ago because they were playing too slowly.
The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission found probable cause that Myneca Ojo and Karen Crosby - who are black - were 'profiled, harassed, evicted and subjected to different terms and conditions of service because of their protected classes'.
The incident occurred in April 2018 at Grandview Golf Club, under Brew Vino LLC which is co-owned by Steve Chronister, his son Jordan and his wife JJ, who are all white.
Sandra Thompson, Myneca Ojo, sisters Sandra Harrison and Carolyn Dow and Karen Crosby had met at the club that morning to play a round. The lawsuit claims frost delayed play so they began at some point between 10.39am and 11.12am instead of at the scheduled 10am.
Sandra Thompson, Myneca Ojo, sisters Sandra Harrison and Carolyn Dow, and Karen Crosby, were 'profiled, harassed, evicted and subjected to different terms and conditions of service because of their protected classes' on April 21, 2018 the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission found
All five women were members of the Grandview Golf Club (pictured above) and described the ordeal, which began at the second hole, as demeaning and discriminatory
Steve Chronister called police on five black female players after they were accused of playing too slowly. Thompson and a white male player behind the group explained to cops they were not cutting anyone off as the co-owner had claimed
The women in their 50s said they were two holes into the game when Steve identified himself as the owner and said they were playing too slowly. The women disagreed and felt they were being treated differently to other players who were all male and white.
Steve called the police but when they responded told them not to confront the group as they had already moved on.
The York Daily Record previously reported that one of two calls to police Steve told the dispatcher: 'Other than her mouth, there's no weapons.
'We have a tough situation here with a group of golfers that decide they don't want to abide by the rules.'
The dispatcher had to clarify that the women were 'literally just standing by the hole'.
Chronister, who is a former York County Commissioner, made a second call when the women had completed nine holes.
He told the dispatcher that one of the women had accused the club of racism.
Karen Crosby (left) and Myneca Ojo (right) are named in the new lawsuit against the golf club. Crosby said with the lawsuit it 'feels like we will have some sort of closure to this situation'
The club is run by his son Jordan and daughter-in-law JJ (above). Grandview Golf Club issued an apology following the ordeal and JJ said she called the women to personally apologize
'We're not being racist. We're being golf course management that has to have play moving a certain way,' he said in the call.
The next time the women were approached after the ninth hole, they said they were told that police had been called and they needed to leave the club.
The women arrived at the tenth hole at the same time as another group but told them to go ahead as they were going to take a break. The new lawsuit states that the a man from the group immediately behind the women on the course agreed with them that they were not holding up other players.
Video captured the moment Thompson and a man from the other group tried to explain they were not cutting off other players as Steve had claimed.
Steve Chronister tried to refund their memberships but they declined.
Three of the women left of their own accord due the treatment.
Police questioned the women but did not take it any further. No charges were filed as a result of the incident. However it's unclear whether the other women left of their own accord or if they were escorted out by law enforcement.
At the time Harrison said she felt traumatized, rattled and hurt when representatives of the Grandview Golf Club told them they were playing too slowly.
'It was like we were playing with targets on our backs,' Harrison said at the time. 'What other reason could there be other than we were guilty of being black while golfing?'
Steve Chronister had told police that he was the owner of the club but he only has an advisory role there.
Grandview Golf Club issued an apology following the ordeal and JJ said in 2018 that she called the women to personally apologize.
The women's attorneys, John L. Rollins and Mary H. Powell, said: 'The civil rights violations undertook by representatives of Grandview Golf Course against our clients in April of 2018 continue to shock the conscience of civil-minded Americans.'
The new lawsuit also claims Steve Chronister defamed the women in a public statement this year, after the PHRC ruled the five women had the right to sue.
'Throughout the hearings, the five accusers testified under oath and before this kangaroo court, asserting the false claims and ultimately committing perjury, which I can prove,' Steve Chronister told the York Daily Record in a February 25 article.
Crosby said she is 'relieved and happy' about the ruling that allows them to take legal action. Crosby - who would usually golf with her husband - said after the incident they shied away from golfing.
'Feels like we will have some sort of closure to this situation,' Crosby told CNN. 'This is a small area and there was a lot attention brought to it, we just didn't feel comfortable doing it.
'Hopefully this year we will be able to play again once this dies down, we'd like to.'
Sandra Thompson (right) and Sandra Harrison (left) said they were rattled and hurt when they were run off the course for playing too slowly
Two black women sue Pennsylvania golf club after white owner called 911 because they were playing too slow
![Two black women sue Pennsylvania golf club after white owner called 911 because they were playing too slow]()
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April 24, 2020
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