Woman Awarded $2.1 Million from Walgreens and S&J Security in Civil Suit

A Los Angeles court has ordered Walgreens and S&J Security to pay a woman $2.1 Million in damages following a 2004 incident in which she says a security guard wrongfully arrested her and made sexual advances, according to a press release. The award was given by a Los Angeles jury in a Los Angeles Superior Court.

The successful suit against Walgreens and the security firm alleged that Alicia Benham was wrongfully accused and held by a security guard from S&J Security on April 17, 2004, when she went to Walgreens to return an empty diet drink bottle that had an expired date. Alicia Benham stated that the diet drink had made her ill. According to the press release, Walgreens accused her of stealing the drinks and requested that the security guard (Mr. Ray) take Benham to the back room where he proceeded to interrogate her. The suit further stated that the security guard tried to bribe Ms Benham by requesting that she perform sexual acts in exchange for his dropping the charge. When Benham refused, the guard called the police and told them he had observed her stealing the drinks.

Examination of Walgreens security tape at the trial actually showed that there was no evidence that corroborated the security guard's story and that he had, in fact, lied about the incident.

The Los Angeles jury agreed with all claims made by Benham: that the guard lied about the stealing incident and that he physically and mentally assaulted her and threatened her with with arrest unless she complied with his demand for sexual favors. In awarding the $2.1 Million against Walgreens and S&J Security and Investigation, the jury validated Ms Benham's statement that she had endured significant trauma because of the event.

S&J Security was also found guilty of failing to properly check the criminal background of Mr Ray. He was later found to have a criminal record. The record showed that Ray had sexually assaulted a 13 year old girl while working as a security guard for Albertson's. California law states that security guards must have a California license and that their fingerprints be sent to the California Department of Justice and the FBI. One of the "expert" witness that was called by the defendants stated that the President of the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services told him that no license was required. The jury, in their finding against Walgreens and S&J Security and Investigation, discounted this testimony.

Sources Used:
www.prweb.com//releases/2007/11/prweb573183.htm
Los Angeles Jury Awards $2.1 Million in
False Arrest Civil Rights Case Involving Walgreens