Family Sues Nike For Alleged Racial Profiling In 2019 Santa Monica Incident
SANTA MONICA (CBSLA) -- A Black family that says they were racially profiled at Nike's Santa Monica store is now suing the athletic apparel company.
The federal lawsuit also names a former employee, Wendy Magee, who they say wrongly accused them of stealing a $12 child's basketball on July 5, 2019, from the store location.
The family's suit claims Magee followed them out of the store and flagged down Santa Monica police officers.
Joel Stallworth and wife TaMiya Dickerson posted a video on Facebook shortly after the incident, showing their infant son Samuel holding the ball in the store, and showing a copy of a receipt for the item. The couple later returned the ball for a refund after the incident.
Nike said in a statement last year that it had reached out to the family to "express our deepest apologies."
Magee, who is White, was fired and filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Nike, according to the family's complaint.
The family's complaint is seeking unspecified damages for alleged federal and state civil rights violations and attorneys' fees.
The suit states that "Nike bears full responsibility for the horrifying and deeply embarrassing ordeal it put this family through.'"
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
