Walmart Workers Killed a Man
 

If there's anything that Walmart didn't need on Black Friday weekend, it was a jaw-dropping headline about somebody dying in their parking lot after a run-in with a couple of employees. Unfortunately for the big box retailer, that's exactly what happened on early Sunday morning at a store in Lithonia, Georgia.

It's a sad, simple story. An unidentified man allegedly stole two DVD players from the electronics department and left the store through the front door. Two Walmart employees and a contracted security guard chased him into the parking lot. A "physical altercation" took place, and apparently, the security guard put the man in a choke hold. Police arrived soon thereafter to find the three workers on top of the suspected shoplifter who was unresponsive and bleeding from his nose and mouth. The man was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

"No amount of merchandise is worth someone's life," said Walmart spokesperson Dianna Gee in a statement. "Associates are trained to disengage from situations that would put themselves or others at risk." She added, "That being said, this is still an active investigation and we're working with police to provide any assistance." Walmart put the two employees on paid leave and fired the security guard.

Regardless of what happens at the end of that investigation, there's no way Walmart is going to come out of this one looking good. It truly sounds like this was a horrible accident, the kind that makes it hard to point fingers or figure out what went wrong. However, this incident also happened as thousands of Walmart workers nationwide were protesting poor treatment by their employers. Are the two things related? Only insofar as it adds up to a ton of bad press for a company long known to promote mass hysteria on Black Friday weekend. It's a problem that people are still dying at their stores, years after warnings signs like the Walmart employee who was trampled to death on Black Friday.

full article...

Consumerism at its worst. All parties are at fault to a degree, but certainly the security guards for using such excessive force on a person stealing a pair of DVD players.

That'll teach him to steal.

its going to make his family rich :2 cents:

Yeah, I heard about this a day or two ago. Its terrible all the way around

georgia walmarts are scary places. lithonia is a scary place.

i can imagine the lawyers rubbing their chops...if there is someone you want to sue....it is walmart

Well he won't be doing it again.

Yeah wont forget that lesson for the REST OF HIS LIFE! o wait...

paid leave and fired.. for killing a man.

fuck there IS perks for working at walmart

Terrible story!

Killing someone on a choke must be hard. You need to hold it for a few mins (1-2) to do some serious dammage once the person lost conciousness. The guy wasn't trained proprely if he held it that long.

Death to shoplifters!

Alluah Akbar!

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

Damn shame

First off, the man was in the process of stealing so I could care less. I know that sounds harsh and that death is not a fitting punishment for stealing two DVD players, but I believe in Karma... You get what you deserve. If he wasn't stealing, he would still be alive today.

Also, I don't think he died because he was put in a choke hold. Most likely he had a heart condition or something.

And... store employees are not allowed to touch you. Ever. No matter what they are not law enforcement, cannot hold you, restrain you, or touch you in any shape or form. If they do, it's assault, plain and simple.

Now everyone'll do it.

Maybe in Kalifornistan, but in Texas it is perfectly legal to restrain a thief until law enforcement arrives. Once they walk out the door without paying for an item and they refuse to come back inside with you... it's game on. I would imagine that Georgia probably has similar laws. The southern states arent afraid of offending people, especially thieves.

And that is SAD.

My town got in trouble because security grabbed a cart full of stuff and they robber was running away, the guy fell to the ground and busted his fingers, arm and face.

Company was sued -- the criminal won.

Now if you want a good show, go to this store and watch people rush out the door with carts of stuff. Fucking Stupid...
Higher prices Yeah... They say "we have them on camera" LOL
Hell the police wont even look for a stolen Car with current cut backs.

Some stores have that policy because of PC crap, and lawsuits. Here is is NOT assault, you are making a citizens arrest. Just like Bouncers of a Club can. If they were still in that companies Parking still on the companies Property!

Maybe the thieves will think twice before robbing them again,sad situation but live by the sword,die by it

I find that very hard to believe although I would imagine anything is possible. On what grounds can "any citizen" detain another citizen? Because they suspect them of potentially committing a crime?

if your going to rob or steal you better to be ready to drop some shells :2 cents:

In California, the following Penal code sections provide strict construction for arrests by anyone:

837. A private person may arrest another:

For a public offense committed or attempted in his/her presence.
When the person arrested has committed a felony, although not in his presence.
When a felony has been in fact committed, and he or she has reasonable cause for believing the person arrested to have committed it.

839. Any person making an arrest may orally summon as many persons as he/she deems necessary to aid him/her therein.

841. The person making the arrest must inform the person to be arrested of the intention to arrest him, of the cause of the arrest, and the authority to make it, except when the person making the arrest has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested is actually engaged in the commission of or an attempt to commit an offense, or the person to be arrested is pursued immediately after its commission, or after an escape. The person making the arrest must, on request of the person he is arresting, inform the latter of the offense for which he is being arrested.

844. To make an arrest, a private person, if the offense is a felony, and in all cases a peace officer, may break open the door or window of the house in which the person to be arrested is, or in which they have reasonable grounds for believing the person to be, after having demanded admittance and explained the purpose for which admittance is desired.

845. Any person who has lawfully entered a house for the purpose of making an arrest, may break open the door or window thereof if detained therein, when necessary for the purpose of liberating himself, and an officer may do the same, when necessary for the purpose of liberating a person who, acting in his aid, lawfully entered for the purpose of making an arrest, and is detained therein.

846. Any person making an arrest may take from the person arrested all offensive weapons which he may have about his person, and must deliver them to the magistrate before whom he is taken.



Like to add Employees of a company have even greater powers.

Like you can carry a firearm without a permit, if that company allows you to do so.

It's a sad, simple story.

everyone is armed in cali :1orglaugh a citizens arrest? :error let that shit unfold

Huh?

The thief precipitated the entire chain of events by being a thief. Take his act of stealing out of the equation and all that followed doesn't happen.

It's really that simple.
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You're confusing store policy with law. If some guy comes up and takes your wallet, make sure you don't touch him trying to get it back. Most retailers and grocers have store policy prohibiting employees chasing a thief outside the store because of the potential of an incident like the one in this thread.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Juries are unpredictable and noboby likes a thief.

It could go either way.
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so if the murder happens on private land, it's all good?

makes a lot of sense.

fuck walmart

Don't Steal!

Hey Richard! Look up there!

He had a knife,,,,:winkwink:
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/9897/picture11gip.png

:1orglaugh would you also add that to something you may have done wrong? like excessive speeding?? if a cop pulls you over and you end up in a tussle with officer friendly :helpme :helpme he chokes you till you soil and piss yourself b4 you exit this world :(

Citizen's arrest and the right of a store's owner or employees to detain shoplifters are two different things.

Tussles with cops don't usually end well. More so if in the absence of neutral witnesses.

Best to just smile when Officer Friendly hands you the ticket.
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No not really, because when the police get there, they have you announce you are making a citizens arrest if you touched them.

Well in my State anyway!

WalMart's disappointed they didn't take out 'dead peasant' insurance on the shoplifter.

Georgia's law concerning the detaining of shoplifters:

Causing the guy to die was obviously not reasonable, but the store's employees and security agent were within their rights to physically detain him.

Walmart shoplifting rate drops due to new store retribution policy.

well what if you toss some lovely words his way and he chokes your ass out? :helpme after he pushes a little .22 in your pocket

The victim was a serial criminal with 16 arrest in the last 15 years. While this is a sad situation, only one person woke up that day with the intention of committing a crime. Due to his intention, 4 peoples lives are forever changed.

Well said. :thumbsup

16 arrests in 15 years. Seems he wasn't very adept at his profession.

I disagree. You can only make a citzen's arrest in the case of a felony. For example, if you see someone run a stop sign you cannot make a citzen's arrest. But if you see someone shoot another person, you can make a citizen's arrest.

You cannot make a citizen's arrest for a misdemeanor, which is what shoplifting is.

DRE, why do you have the same as AVATAR as SAIBER HASTLER?

well, I actually think SAIBER HASTLER must have copied you...

And once again... you making a citizen's arrest for shoplifting, and a store's employee grabbing and detaining a shoplifter, are two separate things.

You know someone at the head office talked about that.:disgust

Just for Rochard, because I have a feeling he is going to keep saying a store owner or employee cannot touch you...

California Law concerning shoplifters: