A LOCAL MOM CLAIMS RETAIL
GIANT WAL-MART DISCRIMINATES
AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
SHE RECORDED VIDEO OF WHAT
HAPPENED TO HER AT A PERRIS
STORE.
CBS2'S GREG MILLS IS LIVE AT
THAT WAL-MART WITH THE VID CROW
AND HOW THE COMPANY IS REACTING
TONIGHT.
-- VIDEO AND HOW THE COMPANY IS
REACTING TONIGHT.
GREG?
WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IN
THAT VIDEO IS STILL GOING ON IN
HERE.
I JUST CHECKED A FEW MINUTES
AGO.
THE WOMAN WHO SHOT THE VIDEO IS
PRETTY UPSET.
I JUST FEEL THAT WE NEED TO
BE TREATED EQUAL.
ESSIE GRUNDY SAYS SHE
EXPERIENCED RACISM FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN HER 43 YEARS AT THIS
PERRIS WAL-MART.
I ALWAYS SHOP THERE.
IT HAPPENED TWO WEEKS AGO ON
HER BIRTHDAY.
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED.
SHE BOUGHT A LOTION SHE REALLY
LIKED AT A RIVERSIDE WAL-MART.
WHEN SHE NEEDED MORE, SHE CAME
HERE TO THE WAL-MART SHE
NORMALLY SHOPS AT, NEAR HER
PERRIS HOME.
AND SHE WAS IN FOR A BIG
SURPRISE.
I COULDN'T REACH IT.
I COULDN'T TOUCH IT.
I COULDN'T READ THE INGREDIENTS.
THAT'S BECAUSE THAT LOTION
AND OTHER SKIN AND HAIR PRODUCTS
DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO
AFRICAN-AMERICANS WERE BEHIND
GLASS UNDER LOCK AND KEY AND NOT
BECAUSE THEY ARE EXPENSIVE ITEMS
EITHER.
THEY PUT THIS COMB UNDER LOCK
AND KEY, 48 CENTS.
ITEMS TARGETING
AFRICAN-AMERICANS LOCKED UP.
OTHER ITEMS TOTALLY ACCESSIBLE.
SHE HAD TO CALL A STORE EMPLOYEE
TO UNLOCK THE CABINET TO GET HER
LOTION AND THE INDIGNITY WAS NOT
OVER YET.
AFTER SHE TOOK IT FROM BEHIND
THE GLASS, SHE HAD TO WALK IT TO
THE COUNTER AND GAVE IT DIRECTLY
TO THE CASH REGISTER AND THEN I
HAD TO PAY FOR IT AND THEN I WAS
ABLE TO TOUCH IT.
GLORIA ALLRED FILED A
DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT ON HER
BEHALF AGAINST WAL-MART TODAY.
HERE'S WHAT SUPERVISORS AT THIS
STORE TOLD HER AND WHAT WAL-MART
PUT OUT IN RESPONSE TO THAT
LAWSUIT.
SOME PRODUCTS SUCH AS
ELECTRONICS, AUTOMOTIVE
COSMETICS AND OTHER PERSONAL
CARE PRODUCTS ARE SUBJECT TO
ADDITIONAL SECURITY.
THOSE DETERMINATIONS ARE MADE ON
A STORE BY STORE BASIS.
WHILE WE'VE YET TO REVIEW A
COMPLAINT, WE TAKE THIS
SITUATION SERIOUSLY.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO ADDRESSING
IT WITH THE COURT.
AN EMPLOYEE TOLD ME THAT
GLASS HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR
ABOUT A MONTH.
AS FOR GRUNDY, SHE WANTS AN
APOLOGY.
SHE WANTS THE GLASS TAKEN DOWN.
AND ALLRED SAID NOT THAT MUCH
