Throughout many of my
postings, I have highlighted news stories about people with autism/Asperger's and
the plight they had to inure. This one honestly makes me very angry and sad
because the end is one that was truly tragic. The story is that of the late Graham
Gentles who had Asperger's Syndrome and he had found himself face to face with
a traumatic situation all because of his condition. Below is the story from
Yahoo news:
Three days
after Graham Gentles was fired without warning from the Pasadena Target where
he worked last July, the 22-year-old committed suicide. Now his mother,
Virginia Gentles, is calling for Target to take responsibility for its role in
his death. In the wrongful death lawsuit Virginia filed against Target in L.A.
she alleges that the company engaged in intentional infliction of
emotional distress on her son, who had Asperger’s syndrome, negligence, and
false imprisonment as part of a company practice that subjects employees to a
“walk of shame” before they are let go.
"The
walk of shame is a Target policy to purposely cause shame, embarrassment and
emotional distress to any Target employee who is suspected of stealing from
Target,” the suit, filed last Thursday, states, according to NBC Los
Angeles. ”The policy consists of employees being arrested and paraded in
handcuffs through the Target store in full view of co-workers and customers.”
The suit alleges that’s exactly what happened on July 15, 2014 to Graham, who
was later released and not charged with any crime. (The true reason for his
firing, according to his mom, was an off-site verbal altercation Gentles had
with another employee months prior).
“This is
about holding Target accountable,” Virginia Gentles tells Yahoo Parenting of
the incident that upset her son so much that he jumped off the roof of a hotel
in Monrovia, California to his death. “My point is to get this barbaric [‘walk
of shame’] practice to stop.”
Graham and Virginia Gentles. Photo: Facebook/Graham
Gentles Memorial Page
Target,
however, denies that these “walks” even take place. “Our thoughts and
sympathies go out to the friends and family of this individual,” Molly Snyder,
group manager of public relations for Target in Minneapolis, tells Yahoo
Parenting via email in response to a request for comment. “The allegations in
the lawsuit of a Target policy or practice are simply not true. There is no
such policy. As this is pending litigation, we don’t have further comment at
this time.”
Former
employees have been reaching out to Virginia since she set up a memorial page
to Graham on Facebook, says
the mother, to share their own “walk of shame” horror stories. “I don’t
understand how Target can say this is not happening,” she insists. “I have
received many messages from employees and former employees. Some were forced in
the walk and others witnessed. They all describe it the same. I am speaking of
Targets across the country.” She adds that she received a note from an employee
who witnessed a “walk” in which security staff was “laughing and high-fiving.”
Graham had
many close friends he worked with at Target, says Virginia, noting that many of
the 200 mourners who turned out for his funeral were fellow employees – so
being ousted from the job stunned him to the core. “Other people know how to
let things roll off of their back,” she says. But her son’s Asperger’s syndrome
kept him locked in the feelings of torment from that day. “The only thing he
said to me at that moment was, ‘Mom this is the worst day of my life,’”
Virigina told local media.
Her attorney explained to ABC 7 that
the emotional distress they’re suing over was crippling. “This was part of his
extended family,” said Patrick McNicholas. “He had indicated that he felt safe
there. This is where his friends were, so he felt as though he lost all of that
in one moment.”
With this
lawsuit, Virginia hopes to change the culture of humiliation that she says
Graham endured, so no one else becomes a victim. “My son was such a nice young
man,” she laments. “I just want Target to be honest and admit that this
happened and say that they won’t let it happen again.”
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