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Black Teen Sues over Arrest after Buying an Expensive Belt

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by rocketsjudoka, Oct 24, 2013.

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  1. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    This sounds like a clear cut case of racial profiling but am curious to hear what others think.

    http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...es-over-arrest-after-buying-350-designer-belt

    Black teen sues over arrest after buying $350 designer belt

    A 19-year-old college student from Queens says he was handcuffed and locked in a jail cell after buying a $350 designer belt at Barneys on New York's Madison Avenue because he is "a young black man."

    Trayon Christian told NBC 4 New York on Wednesday that he saved up from a part-time job for weeks to buy a Salvatore Ferragamo belt at Barneys.

    When he went to the store to buy it in April, he says the checkout clerk asked to see his identification. After the sale went through and he left the store, he was approached by police about a block away, and asked "how a young black man such as himself could afford to purchase such an expensive belt," according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court.

    Officers hauled Christian to the local precinct, where he showed police his identification, as well as his debit card and the receipt for the belt, the lawsuit says.

    Police still believed Christian's identification was fake, and eventually called his bank, which verified it was his, according to the complaint. Christian, who has no prior arrests, was released.

    He told NBC 4 New York that questions were racing through his mind while he went through the painful experience of being handcuffed and taken to a cell.

    "Why me? I guess because I'm a young black man, and you know, people do a credit card scam so they probably thought that I was one of them," Christian said. "They probably think that black people don't have money like that."

    He later returned the belt to Barneys because he says he "didn't want to have nothing to do with it."

    He is suing the city and the luxury department store for unspecified damages as a result of "great physical and mental distress and humiliation."

    Christian's attorney, Michael Palillo, told the Post, "His only crime was being a young black man."

    Barneys said in a statement Wednesday that none of its employees was involved in any action with Christian other than the sale, and added that the store "has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination."
     
    #1 rocketsjudoka, Oct 24, 2013
  2. mc mark

    mc mark Contributing Member

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    #2 mc mark, Oct 24, 2013
  3. Nook

    Nook Member

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    I will wait to hear what the other side of the story is.... but I have to say that it doesn't sound good for Barney's.
     
    #3 Nook, Oct 24, 2013
  4. Baba Booey

    Baba Booey Contributing Member

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    Both stories sound really bad. It looks like it is more on the cops than the store, though.

    And who the hell would buy a $2500 purse? That is freaking insane!
     
    #4 Baba Booey, Oct 24, 2013
  5. rimrocker

    rimrocker Contributing Member

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    But how do the cops know about the purchases? Are they staking the store out looking for black people or is the store tipping them off?

    Agree about the purse... and just about everything that has a name or label on it.
     
    #5 rimrocker, Oct 24, 2013
  6. Fulgore

    Fulgore Member

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    Its a cruel world. My advice to the kid would be save your cash. With a part time job dont blow your money on a freaking $350 belt.
     
    #6 Fulgore, Oct 24, 2013
  7. Baba Booey

    Baba Booey Contributing Member

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    The story on the purse mentioned undercover cops inside various high end stores on an anti-fraud sting.

    This is a really horrible story for the NYPD.
     
    #7 Baba Booey, Oct 24, 2013
  8. Dairy Ashford

    Dairy Ashford Member

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    Probably fair to wonder about any belligerence or non-compliance that would have led to a resisting arrest charge, other than that I think NYC has good enough IAD and City Attorney oversight that this guy's concerns will be well addressed and compensated.
     
    #8 Dairy Ashford, Oct 24, 2013
  9. Dairy Ashford

    Dairy Ashford Member

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    Considering he actually saved the money over time, it's actually more prudent than most of us just amortizing it on a credit card. My only concern is there are a lot more visible accessories and clothes he could spend that money on. College student should be stocked up on dress shirts, ties and cheap blazers by junior fall.
     
    #9 Dairy Ashford, Oct 24, 2013
  10. Fulgore

    Fulgore Member

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    He will get a nice fat six figure settlement now.
     
    #10 Fulgore, Oct 24, 2013
  11. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    I see a story about racial profiling is turning into a discussion about conspicuous consumption.
     
    #11 rocketsjudoka, Oct 24, 2013
  12. Dairy Ashford

    Dairy Ashford Member

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    Nothing that says we can't address both. Aversion to incidents like that keeps me out of high end stores altogether, and in a shirt and tie on the weekends.
     
    #12 Dairy Ashford, Oct 24, 2013
  13. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    I hope you are not serious. If you are I find that a very sad commentary on this society.
     
    #13 rocketsjudoka, Oct 24, 2013
  14. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Contributing Member

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    This. Need more facts (the other side of the story)

    and yeah, one would suspect a 19 year old part time employee could find better uses for his cash than a $350 belt (?!?!?) but he can legally spend his money however stupidly he would like to.
     
    #14 bigtexxx, Oct 24, 2013
  15. CCorn

    CCorn Member

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    Everyone buys stupid things. That's not the story.
     
    #15 CCorn, Oct 24, 2013
  16. JayGoogle

    JayGoogle Member

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    Who cares what he bought? Would it be a issue if he saved up that money to pre-order a PS4 instead?

    I don't see how it is relevant at all to the bigger issue.
     
    #16 JayGoogle, Oct 24, 2013
  17. apollo33

    apollo33 Member

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    NYPD doesn't exactly have the best record with this kinda shet

    literally just saw a video in class about the stop and frisk thing
     
    #17 apollo33, Oct 24, 2013
  18. pippendagimp

    pippendagimp Member

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    barneys has deteriorated sharply since the 90's, selling mostly junk now. bergdorf has come down as well, but still a bit better. surprisingly, saks has maintained..
     
    #18 pippendagimp, Oct 24, 2013
  19. Blurr#7

    Blurr#7 Contributing Member

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    Buy expensive belt, still sag pants= mind blown.
     
    #19 Blurr#7, Oct 24, 2013
  20. Dairy Ashford

    Dairy Ashford Member

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    Type stereoed.
     
    #20 Dairy Ashford, Oct 24, 2013
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