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Popular Johnson City restaurant sues after Facebook post claims employee exposed patrons to COVID-19 - WVLT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - A popular chain restaurant in Johnson City, Tennessee has sued after a Facebook post urged patrons of the restaurants to get tested for COVID-19 after possible exposure from an employee.

The Facebook post, put up by a local group called the Tri-Cities Hospitality Assistance page, was put on the social media site July 13. CBS affiliate WJHL reported that it alleged that a Cootie Browns employee tested positive for coronavirus and had “direct contact with the public” on July 4. It added that management did not shut down the restaurants to properly sanitize even though they knew the employee was ill.

A Facebook post and a local restaurant chain are at the center of a defamation lawsuit filed in Washington County court last month.

The lawsuit centers on a post by a local Facebook group that alleges COVID-19 exposure at one of the two Cootie Browns locations in Johnson City. The post, written by the Tri-Cities Hospitality Assistance Facebook page, urges any patrons of the two Johnson City Cootie Browns restaurants to get tested for COVID-19 due to potential exposure from an infected employee.

In July, WJHL reported that Cootie Browns, Inc., filed a defamation lawsuit and asserted that the claims made in the post were untrue. The suit named Emily Barnes and Abigail Honecutt, two self-identified administrators of the Tri-Cities page, as the defendants.

The lawsuit claimed that the restaurant operators complied with all Tennessee Department of Health and Washington County Health Department regulations. They told WJHL, “We are in constant communication with these authorities to ensure not only compliance, but to assist in the continued operation and success of all local businesses.”

The lawsuit also alleged that the post could cost the business $500,000 per year and requests $75,000 in compensation from both of the administrators of the page as well as $300,000 in additional damages.

WJHL reported that the attorney representing Barnes and Honecutt filed a motion Monday to move the case from Washington County Chancery Court to Circuit Court.

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