I own this.
Posted on 04/01/2022 8:10:45 AM PDT by grundle
A record $31 million award to a mom and pop bakery that accused a liberal Ohio college of ruining its business with false accusations of racism has been upheld by a state appeals court.
Gibson's Bakery, a 135-year-old family business near the campus of Oberlin College, was initially awarded more than $40 million in punitive and compensatory damages in the aftermath of a 2016 incident in which the owner's son confronted three black Oberlin students who were stealing wine from the store. Although the suspects were arrested and later admitted they were shoplifting, the episode touched off school-sanctioned protests and accusations of racism that crippled the store's business.
"At trial, it was absolutely clear to the jury (as reflected by the verdict) that there was not a shred of truth in the vicious statements about the Gibsons and that the College caused the devastating harm," the law firm representing the Gibson family said after winning the case. "The truth prevailed."
The initial award by Lorain County Judge John Miraldi in 2019 was later reduced to $25 million plus $6 million in legal fees. In the latest development, a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit unanimously upheld the award.
Despite the students' guilt, Oberlin College and key officials, including its vice president and dean of students, accused the bakery of racial profiling, claiming that owner David Gibson and other employees assaulted the students and had a history of racism. At trial, the jury heard evidence that college officials distributed flyers containing the false accusations and encouraged students to boycott and protest the store.
The award is the largest defamation verdict in Ohio history.
Oberlin, a small liberal arts college in northern Ohio, has long been known for left-wing politics. Alumni include actress Lena Dunham, former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, liberal activist Nan Aron, Chicago Seven member Jerry Rubin, former Amnesty International head William Schulz, and a host of notable journalists. But one alumna, conservative pundit Michelle Malkin, was not sorry to see her alma mater punished.
"For decades, grievance-mongering Oberlin elites have bullied and defamed innocent white people without consequences in their multicultural Ohio enclave," Malkin wrote in a 2019 Daily Signal column titled "I’m an Oberlin Graduate. They Had It Coming." "False racial allegations and toxic identity politics are the bread and butter of Oberlin campus life."
Good!
Never give in, that is where they win.
What a tough battle. Most of us would have folded.
Justice, finally. Although I know that one of the main plaintiffs has already passed on.
Wonderful news on this Friday. :-)
Their endowment is about $900 million, so this is material to them. Good. Perhaps the officers that made the defamatory statements and actions can be held personally liable as well.
Congratulations to the Gibson’s. I fought a 15 year legal battle with a multi billionaire “person” and won. So, I know how difficult this fight for the Gibsons was.
And, I can’t help but say THANKS GOD for a little good news for a change!
I own this.
If the perps had just self ID’s as caucasions they wouldn’t have been arrested due to “WP”. Sheesh. How hard is that? /$
The Oberlin admin staff members who germinated and then promulgated this mischief undoubtedly still retain their positions.
Website “Legal Insurrection” mentioned that the judge said that the Ohio $25M damages cap law was unconstitutional and therefore did not apply. Thus the bakery gets about $14M more. Go to the website! Heh-heh...
This is a great vindication that academic malefactors are not immune to the law. It rivals the celebrated punishment meted out to Duke University after the “Duke 88” faculty members tried to fraudulently send innocent students to long prison terms.
Oberlin got the money. Pay up!
What is Oberlin College’s endowment?
Nearly all of Oberlin’s 1,700 endowed funds are invested within the General Investment Pool. The College’s Pooled Endowment was $936.6 million at June 30, 2020, versus $924.6 million at June 30, 2019, a $12.0 million increase.
Bravo!!
Bunch of kooky and vicious leftists.
Attention, all who are defamed by the left — hire the lawyer who won that verdict and pass his name around.
An excellent suggestion. I think more who are defmaed in the legal sense by the Left should use "lawfare" as the Left has done for years.
Me too. Might have to wear it in celebration of this!
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