Sombeech
05-27-2011, 08:02 AM
15714282
LAYTON -- They were fired after disarming a man with a gun who said, "Don't make me do this." Now, those workers from a Layton Walmart are at the heart of a lawsuit filed against the world's largest retailer.
Three of the "Layton Four" featured in an exclusive KSL investigation (http://www.ksl.com/?sid=14319284&nid=148) in February -- along with a former Cedar Hills manager and two former West Valley loss prevention workers -- are the plaintiffs. Their lawsuit, filed Wednesday in 2nd District Court in Davis County, names six causes, including wrongful termination and violation of plaintiffs' right to self-defense under the Second Amendment. "Our concern is that Walmart has put their employees and customers at risk to preserve their bottom line," said Lorraine Brown, attorney for the plaintiffs.
"Our concern is that Walmart has put their employees and customers at risk to preserve their bottom line." -Attorney Lorraine Brown
The lawsuit seeks compensation for the loss of what Brown terms "career positions." The text of the lawsuit asks for compensatory damages for "emotional distress, humiliation and anguish," among other things.
For many of the workers, it has been a tough road since their terminations. Shawn Ray, fired from the Layton Walmart for intervening and stopping the shoplifter with the gun, still has not found a new job more than three months later. Before, he'd been planning to move into a new house.
"The bills are piling up," Ray said. "The house is not even an option now."
Ray maintains that how he, Gabriel Stewart, Lori Poulsen and Justin Richins acted was "the right thing to do." Richins is not part of the lawsuit; Brown said he had found a better job. Derek Holt and Eric Hunter, also plaintiffs in the case, feel the same way. Holt was a loss prevention manager and Hunter was a loss prevention associate at the Walmart at 3180 South 5600 West in West Valley.
http://www.ksl.com/emedia/slc/2491/249174/24917474.jpg?filter=ksl/img200 (http://www.ksl.com/emedia/slc/2491/249174/24917474.jpg) Three of the "Layton Four" featured in an exclusive KSL investigation -- along with a former Cedar Hills manager and two former West Valley loss prevention workers -- are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Walmart.
Last Christmas Eve, they were trying to escort a shoplifter when she pulled a knife.
"Eric Hunter started screaming,
LAYTON -- They were fired after disarming a man with a gun who said, "Don't make me do this." Now, those workers from a Layton Walmart are at the heart of a lawsuit filed against the world's largest retailer.
Three of the "Layton Four" featured in an exclusive KSL investigation (http://www.ksl.com/?sid=14319284&nid=148) in February -- along with a former Cedar Hills manager and two former West Valley loss prevention workers -- are the plaintiffs. Their lawsuit, filed Wednesday in 2nd District Court in Davis County, names six causes, including wrongful termination and violation of plaintiffs' right to self-defense under the Second Amendment. "Our concern is that Walmart has put their employees and customers at risk to preserve their bottom line," said Lorraine Brown, attorney for the plaintiffs.
"Our concern is that Walmart has put their employees and customers at risk to preserve their bottom line." -Attorney Lorraine Brown
The lawsuit seeks compensation for the loss of what Brown terms "career positions." The text of the lawsuit asks for compensatory damages for "emotional distress, humiliation and anguish," among other things.
For many of the workers, it has been a tough road since their terminations. Shawn Ray, fired from the Layton Walmart for intervening and stopping the shoplifter with the gun, still has not found a new job more than three months later. Before, he'd been planning to move into a new house.
"The bills are piling up," Ray said. "The house is not even an option now."
Ray maintains that how he, Gabriel Stewart, Lori Poulsen and Justin Richins acted was "the right thing to do." Richins is not part of the lawsuit; Brown said he had found a better job. Derek Holt and Eric Hunter, also plaintiffs in the case, feel the same way. Holt was a loss prevention manager and Hunter was a loss prevention associate at the Walmart at 3180 South 5600 West in West Valley.
http://www.ksl.com/emedia/slc/2491/249174/24917474.jpg?filter=ksl/img200 (http://www.ksl.com/emedia/slc/2491/249174/24917474.jpg) Three of the "Layton Four" featured in an exclusive KSL investigation -- along with a former Cedar Hills manager and two former West Valley loss prevention workers -- are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Walmart.
Last Christmas Eve, they were trying to escort a shoplifter when she pulled a knife.
"Eric Hunter started screaming,