US woman 'falsely' arrested for shoplifting by Walmart wins lawsuit, awarded $2.1 million

An Alabama woman who was arrested on false charges of shoplifting at a US-based Walmart store has been awarded $2.1 million after she successfully sued the country’s biggest retailer for damages. The decision was passed in favour of Lesleigh Nurse by a Mobile Circuit County Jury on Monday, reported The New York Times.

Recounting the incident, the 36-year-old told the court that she was walking out of the store after using a self-service checkout kiosk at the Walmart in Semmes on November 27, 2016, when the employees of the store accused her of not paying the bill.

The nurse informed the court that she explained to the employees of the store that her husband had paid the full amount of $122 with his debit card, but the employees held her in the back room of the store until the sheriff’s deputy arrived. She said the warrant charging her with shoplifting was issued 10 days later and then she was held for about four hours, after which she was released on bond.

Although, the shoplifting charge was dismissed after the store’s asset protection specialist failed to show up to court in March 2017.

US: Alabama woman wins legal suit against Walmart company, awarded $2.1 million

The victim stated that she continued to receive letters from Walmart threatening to sue her if she didn’t pay $200. "It was a nightmare. It was entrapment. That’s what it felt like," the Nurse said, reported The New York Times.

The jury noted that the grocery company was misusing its power to bring a false legal proceeding against someone innocent. A Walmart spokesperson on Wednesday said that the company would challenge the verdict and that it believed that the $2.1 million in damages awarded by the jury was too much in accordance with state law in Alabama.

According to a WKRG News report, the nurse was accused of stealing a total of 11 items, including Christmas lights, a loaf of bread, and Cap'n Crunch cereal, worth $ 48. The court observed that "Walmart has engaged in the practice of targeting Alabama citizens, falsely accusing them of shoplifting with demands that the innocent customer immediately pays money or risk getting sued" by the retail giant. In response, the defense attorneys for Walmart argued the practice is legal under Alabama law.

Image: AP