Wal-Mart Pays $1.2 million To Avoid Criminal Lawsuit Over Stampede Incident

May 6, 2009

Retail giant Wal-Mart has agreed to pay $1.2 million to avoid criminal lawsuit in connection with the death of worker who was trampled to death as shoppers rushed to the store to avail discounted price during a Black Friday sale last year.

Jdimytai Damour, 34, and a temporary worker at Wal-Mart, died after the crowd suddenly rushed toward the store and trampled him to death.

Meanwhile, the company will also pay $40,000 to the family of the killed worker and other injured shoppers.

In a court statement, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice described Wal-Mart’s concession as an “accomplishment”.

With the court decision, the Damour’s family expressed disappointment and called the offer as “shameful”.

In an interview, Damour’s lawyer Andrew Libo also expressed dismay and accused Rice of “allowing the retail giant to buy its way out from criminal prosecution.”

On November 2008, Damour was trampled to death by shoppers who broke the glass door and rushed inside the store. Some co-workers tried to help the victim but the crowd was too big and rowdy to contain, according to some witnesses.

Four other people were hurt in the stampede including a pregnant woman.