A $100,000,000 lawsuit has been filed by the family of a suspected shoplifter who died after being taken into custody by a Family Dollar store manager.
38-year old Derrick Hussey died last December after being accused of shoplifting $13.00 worth of tube socks from a Family Dollar store on the 3600 block of North Watkins.
Attorney Matt Porter said, “He left the store, the store manager got in vehicle chased after Mr. Hussey, through neighborhood streets surrounding that area.”
According to a police and an autopsy report, the store manager, Michael Woods, said he caught up to Hussey in the backyard of a home on the 1700 block of Sutton. He told authorities he used chemical spray on Hussey, then handcuffed him, put him in the car and took him back to the store.
The manager said Hussey seemed to be having a seizure so he called 911, but when Woods called police varies from report to report.
Porter said, “We do know the store manager is throwing a couple of different stories out there.”
Hussey died at the hospital. The medical examiner’s report lists the cause of death as “undetermined” but said they “cannot rule out homicide.”
His family recently filed a $100,000,000 civil lawsuit against Family Dollar and the store manager. Porter believes this was not the store manager’s first vigilante arrest.
“Our investigation so far told us police told him not to do this, to let them do their jobs.”
A spokesperson for Family Dollar emailed FOX13 a statement that said, in part: “Our policy is for our store managers not to engage in any actions that put themselves, their team or our customers at risk… Family Dollar contends that it is not responsible for the damages being alleged by the family.”
Memphis Police say the case was presented to the District Attorney’s office and is now closed. No criminal charges have been filed.
Porter hopes the $100,000,000 civil lawsuit will get the Hussey family the answers they’ve been looking for and send a message to Family Dollar.
“We have to let them know we will not tolerate this type of action in our community.”
Family Dollar would not comment on Wood’s status with the company. FOX13 was unable to get in touch with him Thursday.
Attorneys hope to get store surveillance video and 911 tapes soon.
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/local/021110-100m-lawsuit-filed-against-family-dollar