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Charges Eyed In Wal-mart Trampling
Boston Herald - December 2, 2008
Mineola - A worker trampled to death when hundreds of customers stormed into a Wal-Mart for early-morning “Black Friday” bargains had no experience in crowd control and was placed at the entrance of the store because of his hulking size, police and a lawyer said yesterday.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey noted that the worker, Jdimytai Damour, was 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, making the trampling all the more stunning. He was killed when about 2,000 shoppers broke down the electronic doors in frantic pursuit of sale items.
“Literally anyone, those hundreds of people who did make their way into the store, literally had to step over or around him or unfortunately on him to get into the Wal-Mart store,” said Mulvey.
Mulvey said an autopsy found Damour, 34, died of asphyxiation related to his trampling.
The details about the deadly holiday shopping stampede came out as police pored over video surveillance from the store as they considered possible criminal charges. Lawyers were also preparing to file lawsuits over the episode.
Attorney Jordan Hecht, who represents Damour’s three sisters, said the family declined to make any public statements.
Wal-Mart said the store was cooperating with investigators.