UNION, S.C. (7/14/95)-- When the jurors in the Susan Smith murder trial packed up and left the American Economy Inn Thursday morning, they took Peter Patel's dreams of a financially sound summer with them.

"SLED officers moved them out about 9:30 and left the keys in the room," said Patel, manager of the motel on Union's west side. About 30 minutes after they left June Miller called and said they would not be coming back.

Patel said Miller, the county clerk of court, told him the jurors were moved to a motel in Spartanburg and would be staying there during the trial. He said she did not tell him why the jurors were moved.

"They reserved 26 rooms in early April," Patel said. "I have been turning people down all summer who wanted a room. Now, they've gone somewhere else to stay. This is very bad. I have lost a lot of income."

Union County Supervisor Donnie Betenbaugh confirmed Thursday that the sequestered jurors had been moved to a location in Spartanburg. He said complaints from jurors about their rooms caused the switch.

"There were a couple of jurors who complained of smells and bugs," said the supervisor.

The rooms had been reserved for the 18 jurors, including six alternates, and several law enforcement agents.

American Economy Inn has a total of 31 guest rooms. Patel said he rented 26 of the rooms to the county at $35 per night for three months. The loss of business will cost Patel more that $900 per day.

The motel manager said Miller told him he could bill the county four nights, starting this past Sunday.

"I had five rooms rented to the media, but SLED made us move them out," Patel said. "They told us this past Saturday we couldn't have the media staying here with the jury."

Hugh Munn, spokesman for the State Law Enforcement Division, said accommodations were found in Spartanburg for about $3 or $4 more per room.

Neither Betenbaugh nor Munn would say which hotel the jurors would be staying in, but sources indicated that the Holiday Inn was selected.

Munn said the transportation of jurors should not change.

"I'm sure we'll be able to work it out," he said.

Patel said he accepted the county's room reservations in good faith. He said no one from Miller's office came to inspect the rooms before jurors began arriving at the motel on Monday.

Patel said he was told telephones had to be removed from the rooms and televisions had to be disconnected. He said he did everything officials asked him to do, including making a place available where the sequestered jurors could watch videos under SLED supervision.

"This makes me sick," said Patel as he placed telephones back in guest rooms on Thursday morning. "My business is destroyed."

Reporter Clay Murphy of the Union County Bureau contributed to this report.

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