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Wal-Mart Avoids Criminal Charges in Black Friday Stampede Death

by Tina Kells | May 6, 2009 at 01:12 pm

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Wal-Mart will avoid facing criminal charges in the 2008 Black Friday stampede death of store security guard Jdimytai Damour, 34. As part of the settlement to avoid criminal prosecution Wal-Mart agreed to provide nearly $2 million in various forms of compensation as well as provide 50 high school students with training jobs each year until 2012.

Jdimytai Damour, a security guard employed by Wal-Mart, was trampled to death as customers rushed the Wal-Mart store during the 2008 Black Friday sale. Damour's family was not party to the settlement with the District Attorney and will be filing their own suit in a civil court.

Wal-Mart admitted no wrong doing as part of its settlement with the state.

In a settlement made public on Wednesday with the district attorney of New York's Nassau County and the world's largest retailer also agreed to set up a $400,000 victims' compensation fund, donate $1.5 million to the community and provide 50 jobs annually to high school students in the area.

The deal came as a result of the DA's investigation into the death of a 34-year-old security guard, Jdimytai Damour, who was knocked to the ground and trampled to death in the early morning hours on the Friday after Thanksgiving as shoppers stormed a Wal-Mart.