(CNN)A jury in Oregon awarded a Black man $4.4 million in damages after he claimed in a lawsuit that a White Walmart employee racially profiled him while shopping and tried to have law enforcement act on false charges, according to court documents.
Michael Mangum was awarded $400,000 in non-economic damages and $4 million in punitive damages Friday, according to a news release issued by his attorney Sunday.
Walmart told CNN in a written statement that it does not tolerate discrimination and that the verdict is "excessive" and not supported by evidence.
"Mr. Mangum was never stopped by Walmart's Asset Protection. He interfered with our associates as they were surveilling and then stopped confirmed shoplifters, and then refused to leave despite being asked to repeatedly by our staff and Multnomah County deputies," according to spokesperson Randy Hargrove. "We are reviewing our options including post-trial motions."
Mangum, who was 59 at the time, went to a Walmart in Wood Village, Oregon, on March 26, 2020, to look for a light bulb for his refrigerator, his attorney said in the news release.
"Noticing that he was under surveillance by a Walmart loss prevention employee, Mangum objected, believing he was racially profiled," the release said.
The employee ordered Mangum to leave the store, but Mangum refused, according to the release,
The employee said he "would call the police and tell them that Mangum had threatened to smash him in the face," the release said.
Multnomah...
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