HUNTINGTON – A Cabell County man is seeking reinstatement to his job with Walmart after a incident with an purported shoplifter.
Seth Weatherholt filed a complaint Jan. 18 in Cabell Circuit Court against Wal-Mart Stores East LP alleging violation of West Virginia public policy.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff was employed by the defendant as an asset protection manager at the Barboursville Walmart. He alleges on Nov. 6, 2017, he observed a suspect leave the store without paying for merchandise and approached him with an associate.
He states when the suspect learned the police were being contacted, the suspect became agitated and attacked him and the associates present. The plaintiff alleges he struck the suspect one time to protect himself and knocked the suspect to the ground.
The suit states the defendant terminated the plaintiff over the incident.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks back pay, reinstatement of front pay, award for compensatory and punitive damages, attorney's fees, costs and all other legal relief that the court may deem just and proper. She is represented by J. Michael Ranson and Cynthia M. Ranson of Ranson Law Offices in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Gregory L. Howard.
Cabell Circuit Court Case number 18-C-37