Ex-NBA star accuses restaurant of racial bias

ATLANTA - A federal jury is hearing a lawsuit filed by a retired NBA All-Star who claims a ritzy Atlanta restaurant discriminated against him and a friend when waiters insisted they give up their seats to white women.

Joe Barry Carroll played parts of 10 seasons in the NBA for several teams in the 1980s. He and attorney Joseph Shaw are suing the Tavern at Phipps. They will try to prove during the trial that began Monday that the restaurant has a systematic plan to discourage black patrons.

The two men, who are black, said they were removed by security guards when they refused to leave their seats.

The restaurant has said it often asks men to give up their seats to women at the bar and has denied the discrimination accusations.

Carroll, the first overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1980, also played for the Houston Rockets, New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns. The Purdue University star averaged 17.7 points over his NBA career and made the All-Star game in 1987.