Hester Burkhalter, the great grandmother who was arrested at Disney World last month for carrying CBD oil on her person, is suing the Disney Corporation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
According to her attorney, Benjamin Crump, she’s suing for emotional distress, defamation of character, false arrest, illegal detention, and other civil rights violations.
“Disney, you have to do better if you’re going to continue to expect people to support you and bring their families to the theme park,” Crump told reporters during a press conference.
Last month, Hester Burkhalter was caught outside of the Magic Kingdom with CBD oil in her purse. Even though she presented a doctor’s note for the oil, which she uses to treat arthritis pain, a sheriff’s deputy arrested her in front of her family.
During her arrest, she requested medical attention, as she had difficulty breathing. Police and Disney World officials failed to provide her with medical services, which led to her vomiting across the side of a police cruiser, reported FOX 35.
She spent a night in jail on felony drug charges before being released the next day on bond. All charges were eventually dropped against her.
Despite eventually being cleared by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Disney World officials prevented her from returning to her hotel room, which was in Disney’s Camp Fort Wilderness area. Her attorney said she’d been banned from all Disney properties for life.
According to Florida law, CBD oil is illegal, even though the state passed a medical marijuana bill in 2016. Disney World and Disneyland parks banned all cannabis products in 2017.
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