Roderick Jackson, a resident of Waskom, Texas, has filed two handwritten complaints against retail giant Walmart. The complaints, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, seek $100 million in damages or “unlimited free lifetime shopping” at any Walmart location. While the complaints do not provide detailed information about the reasons behind the lawsuit, they allege an incident involving false pretense of shoplifting and the violation of Jackson’s civil rights based on race/color.
According to the complaints, the incident in question took place at a Walmart store in Omaha, Nebraska, in March 2021. Jackson claims that he was falsely accused of shoplifting and subjected to racial profiling, leading to the violation of his civil rights. This is not the first time Jackson has taken legal action against Walmart. In 2021, he filed a lawsuit over a similar incident, where he alleged racial profiling, false accusations, and emotional distress due to his arrest. However, the case was dismissed due to failure in properly serving Walmart.
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In both the current and previous lawsuits, Jackson has demanded substantial compensation from Walmart. In the initial complaint, he sought $100 million in damages and a “huge credit for future shopping.” Later, an amended complaint raised the claim to $175 million. In addition to monetary compensation, Jackson asks for a reversal of his alleged ban from Walmart, the return of personal possessions that were allegedly taken during the incident, and payment of all court fees. The recent complaints go even further, with Jackson requesting “unlimited free lifetime shopping” at any Walmart location.
Walmart, headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, has responded to the allegations made by Jackson. A spokesperson for the company stated that they do not tolerate any form of discrimination and are aware of Jackson’s complaints. They further mentioned that once properly served, Walmart intends to defend itself against the allegations. It is worth noting that the company highlighted the similarities between Jackson’s current complaints and the previously dismissed lawsuit from 2021.
