AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me. The following is a sensitive topic).
Humiliated Target employee and veteran killed himself 'after being wrongly accused of stealing by co-workers and paraded around the store in handcuffs as punishment'
A Target employee committed suicide just days after he was accused of stealing at the store.
Graham Gentles, a 22-year-old from Pasadena, California who has Asperger's Syndrome, was 'paraded, around the store in handcuffs as a punishment for stealing, even though police and store management never found anything and he was never charged.
Three days after the incident, on July 18 of last year, he jumped to his death from the roof of the Courtyard Marriott in Monrovia.
Graham Gentles (above) jumped off a building just days after he was accused of stealing at the Target where he is employed
Gentiles, who has recently enlisted, had Asperger's Syndrome
Gentiles was put in handcuffs and forced to do the 'walk of shame' at Target after it was believed he had stolen
Now, Graham's mother, Virginia, is taking legal action against the company, not just for the death of her son, but to make sure this 'walk of shame' practice is ended in all of their stores.
'He said, "Mom, I've never stolen,"' Virginia recalled of that day in an interview with ABC 7.
'He said, "They did the walk of shame, I had to do the walk of shame. But they only do that when people steal and I've never stolen a thing."'
She also told NBC 4; 'The only thing he said to me at that moment was, "Mom this is the worst day of my life."'
Her attorney, Patrick McNicholas, added; 'This was part of his extended family. He had indicated that he felt safe there. This is where his friends were, so he felt as though he lost all of that in one moment.'
Target has refused to comment due to the pending litigation.
Mother Virginia (above with Graham) believes this was all the result of an argument that occurred between her son, who had recently enlisted, and a coworker at a bar during non-work hours
His mother Virginia claims the suicide was a result of the 'severe distress' he felt after being paraded around the store for stealing
He jumped to his death from the roof of the Courtyard Marriott in Monrovia (above)
Virginia believes this was all the result of an argument that occurred between her son, who had recently enlisted, and a coworker at a bar during non-work hours.
She believes the individual who fought with Graham had reported that he had stolen, which is why when he went to leave that day he was met by police and management.
According to the suit, 'police forcefully grabbed him, emptied his pockets and pulled his hat off.'
Then, 'he was handcuffed and led to an office,' at the direction of a store manager.
'Gentles was shocked, confused and mortified at being handcuffed and walked through the Target store in front of co-workers and store customers. Mr. Gentles had no idea why he was being arrested,' says the complaint.
According to the suit, this resulted in 'severe emotional distress,' something that was made even worse by his Asperger's condition claims his mother, and ultimately his suicide.
'One of the primary purposes of this lawsuit is that Target stops the policy immediately [and] recognizes the harm that it could do,' said McNicholas.
'I don't want any other mother to have to go through what I've gone through,' said Virginia.
'This is my only child.'
Video: http://abc7.com/video/embed/?pid=488247#videoplayer
SOURCE ARTICLE: Target employee committed suicide 'after wrongfully accused of stealing' | Daily Mail Online
Humiliated Target employee and veteran killed himself 'after being wrongly accused of stealing by co-workers and paraded around the store in handcuffs as punishment'
- Graham Gentles of Pasadena, California, committed suicide three days after he was accused of stealing at the Target where he worked
- Graham was 'paraded' around the store in handcuffs as punishment for stealing even though he was never charged and nothing was found
- He suffered 'severe emotional distress' as a result of the situation, which was made worse by his Asperger's Syndrome says his mother Virginia
- Virginia has now filed a lawsuit against target for not just her son's death but also to end the company's 'walk of shame' practice
A Target employee committed suicide just days after he was accused of stealing at the store.
Graham Gentles, a 22-year-old from Pasadena, California who has Asperger's Syndrome, was 'paraded, around the store in handcuffs as a punishment for stealing, even though police and store management never found anything and he was never charged.
Three days after the incident, on July 18 of last year, he jumped to his death from the roof of the Courtyard Marriott in Monrovia.
Graham Gentles (above) jumped off a building just days after he was accused of stealing at the Target where he is employed
Gentiles, who has recently enlisted, had Asperger's Syndrome
Gentiles was put in handcuffs and forced to do the 'walk of shame' at Target after it was believed he had stolen
Now, Graham's mother, Virginia, is taking legal action against the company, not just for the death of her son, but to make sure this 'walk of shame' practice is ended in all of their stores.
'He said, "Mom, I've never stolen,"' Virginia recalled of that day in an interview with ABC 7.
'He said, "They did the walk of shame, I had to do the walk of shame. But they only do that when people steal and I've never stolen a thing."'
She also told NBC 4; 'The only thing he said to me at that moment was, "Mom this is the worst day of my life."'
Her attorney, Patrick McNicholas, added; 'This was part of his extended family. He had indicated that he felt safe there. This is where his friends were, so he felt as though he lost all of that in one moment.'
Target has refused to comment due to the pending litigation.
Mother Virginia (above with Graham) believes this was all the result of an argument that occurred between her son, who had recently enlisted, and a coworker at a bar during non-work hours
His mother Virginia claims the suicide was a result of the 'severe distress' he felt after being paraded around the store for stealing
He jumped to his death from the roof of the Courtyard Marriott in Monrovia (above)
Virginia believes this was all the result of an argument that occurred between her son, who had recently enlisted, and a coworker at a bar during non-work hours.
She believes the individual who fought with Graham had reported that he had stolen, which is why when he went to leave that day he was met by police and management.
According to the suit, 'police forcefully grabbed him, emptied his pockets and pulled his hat off.'
Then, 'he was handcuffed and led to an office,' at the direction of a store manager.
'Gentles was shocked, confused and mortified at being handcuffed and walked through the Target store in front of co-workers and store customers. Mr. Gentles had no idea why he was being arrested,' says the complaint.
According to the suit, this resulted in 'severe emotional distress,' something that was made even worse by his Asperger's condition claims his mother, and ultimately his suicide.
'One of the primary purposes of this lawsuit is that Target stops the policy immediately [and] recognizes the harm that it could do,' said McNicholas.
'I don't want any other mother to have to go through what I've gone through,' said Virginia.
'This is my only child.'
Video: http://abc7.com/video/embed/?pid=488247#videoplayer
SOURCE ARTICLE: Target employee committed suicide 'after wrongfully accused of stealing' | Daily Mail Online
