Red Roof Inn denies sex trafficking allegations as jury selection begins for federal trial in Cobb

Eleven survivors are suing the Red Roof Inn hotel chain in federal court.

They said the company knew sex trafficking was a problem at two properties and did nothing.

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Michele Newell, Channel 2 Cobb County bureau chief was live on Wednesday. Opening statements began Wednesday afternoon.

Most of the plaintiffs were in court and will take the stand at some point during the trial.

They sued Red Roof Inn and a few other companies a little over a year ago.

They said sex trafficking was rampant at two properties from 2009 to 2018. One is located near Windy Hill in Smyrna and the other is in Buckhead at North Druid Hills and Burford Highway.

Red Roof Inn denies these allegations and says it condemns sex trafficking in all its forms.

Shortly before 3 p.m., 10 jurors were seated; four women and six men.

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During opening statements, plaintiffs' attorneys told jurors that an employee at the Buckhead location told executives, and even the vice president, that children were being sold for sex. He added that the vice president also knew that the rooms were being sold to traffickers and that the hotel was making money from them.

Opening statements started very late in the afternoon, so there is still plenty to cover on Thursday morning starting at 9:30 a.m.

The trial is expected to last approximately four weeks.

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