A jury in Oregon has awarded a black man $4.4 million after he alleged in a lawsuit that a white Walmart employee racially discriminated against him while shopping and tried to get authorities to act. under false charges, according to court documents.
Michael Mangum received $400,000 in non-economic fines and $4 million in punitive fines on Friday, according to a press release released by his lawyer on Sunday.
Walmart told CNN in a written statement that it does not tolerate discrimination and that the verdict is “excessive” and not based on evidence.
Mangum, who was 59 at the time, went to a Walmart store in Wood Village, Oregon, on March 26, 2020, to look for a light bulb for his fridge, according to his attorney.
“Realizing that he was under surveillance by a Walmart loss prevention employee, Mangum objected, believing he had suffered racial discrimination,” the statement said.
The employee ordered Mangum to leave the store, but he refused, according to the statement. The official further said, according to the statement, that he would “call the police and say that Mangum threatened to punch him in the face.”
Multnomah County agents arrived at the store, but did not take action against Mangum due to “changing explanations as to why the clerk called” and because of the clerk’s reputation for making false reports to police, the attorney said in the press release. .
In a deposition given to CNN by Mangum’s attorney, the Multnomah County Shift Commander, Sergeant Bryan White said he and officers on his shift were “extremely frustrated with a pattern of behavior that they identified” in the employee who called authorities to report ” dangerous active situations, such as customers physically assaulting you or loss prevention employees and others at Walmart while trying to steal, and then agents determining that it never actually happened.”
Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese told CNN that your agency treats people with dignity and respect.
“Our agents have a fair and balanced approach to criminal investigations. I am pleased with the way our members have responded to and evaluated the allegations made in this situation. They recognized inconsistencies in the employee report and in previous interactions,” he said.
Lawsuit alleges discrimination and harassment
Mangum’s lawsuit alleges that the employee called the police with the intention of “unfairly discriminating” against him.
The lawsuit also alleges that the employee’s call was intended to make Mangum feel harassed, humiliated or embarrassed, as well as damage his reputation or standing in the community.
It also claimed that the employee’s actions were intended to get Mangum kicked out of Walmart, where he was legally allowed to be.
As a result, Mangum “has suffered, continues to suffer and may permanently suffer from embarrassment, fear, humiliation, anger and indignity,” the complaint said.
Mangum’s attorney, Greg Kafoury, said Mangum refused to be intimidated by the employee’s “lies and bullying.”
“Because of their courage, we were able to show the jury an unscrupulous lack of responsibility by the largest corporation in the world,” Kafoury said in the statement.
Source: CNN Brasil
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