Walmart has been asked by a jury in Oregon to pay a Black man $4.4 million in damages after a White employee with the shopping center racially profiled him while shopping and attempted to have him jailed on false charges.
The Attorney says Michael Mangum will be awarded $400,000 in non-economic challenges and $4 million in punitive charges. Walmart has described the judgment as excessive and not supported by evidence though it does not condone discrimination, according to CNN.
Mangum had claimed that the White employee unlawfully discriminated against him when he called in law enforcement officers with the intent to place him behind bars. He said he felt harassed, humiliated and embarrassed by the actions of the employee causing him to suffer damage to his reputation in the eyes of right-thinking members of society.
He further claimed in his court documents that the employee sought to have him thrown out of Walmart even though he had the legal right to be there.
Trial attorney for the racially abused victim, Greg Kafoury, said but for the courage of his client, he would have been bullied and intimidated with lies.
He said Mangum would have lost his job and been jailed if the police had decided to act on the bogus claims of the White Walmart employee.
On March 26, 2020, Mangum had visited Walmart in Wood Village in Oregon with the intention of purchasing a light bulb for his refrigerator. Walmart in a statement said Mangum was not prevented by Walmart Asset Protection even though he interfered in conducting their general surveillance.
Spokesperson for Walmart Randy Hargrove said Mangum refused to leave Walmart after he was asked to by their staff and Multnomah County deputies. He hinted at their decision to appeal the decision by the court.
Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputies suspended their decision to arrest Mangum though the White employee had claimed the Black man had threatened to smash his face.
The sheriff’s deputies said the white employee has a reputation for making false reports to the police.
The department, according to Multnomah County Sheriff’s Shift Cmdr. Sgt. Bryan White, had at a point in time become overwhelmed by the incessant calls by the particular employee calling 911 to report customers physically assaulting him or accusing other Walmart employees of stealing.
