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Was Wal-Mart Trampling a Crime?

Experts mixed on whether death can be prosecuted

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 2, 2008 9:32 AM CST

(Newser) – Trampling a Long Island Wal-Mart worker in a frenzied rush for flat-screen TVs may be a prosecutable crime, reports Newsday, but experts are split. “In order to prosecute a homicide, you have to establish that someone caused a death," said a lawyer. "... Read full story »

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Trampled Worker's Family Sues Wal-Mart

And more lawsuits coming over Black Friday trampling on Long Island

(AP) - The family of the Wal-Mart temp worker who was trampled to death by a Black Friday stampede has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in New York's state Supreme Court against the retailer and the Long Island mall where the store is located. The family also filed notice that Nassau County, on Long Island, and its police department will be sued. More»

Wal-Mart Death a Fitting Symbol of the Times

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(NEWSER) - When shoppers charged into a Long Island Wal-Mart at the stroke of 5am Friday and trampled to death a temp who happened to get between them and the $388 flatscreen TVs inside,“it was a tragedy, yet it did not feel like an accident,” Peter Goodman writes in the New York Times. Goodman notes that just as the Depression had its breadlines, and the '70s their gas lines, today's iconic image is the desperate mob rushing headlong for its must-have bargain. More»

Black Friday Shoppers Riot Over $2 Waffle Makers

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(NEWSER) - The Black Friday craziness continues: Mashable points to a truly terrifying video of Walmart shoppers completely losing it over a display of $2 waffle makers. Mediaite , meanwhile, spotted the second video in the gallery below, in which police officers reportedly deployed pepper spray on over-enthusiastic Walmart shoppers in North Carolina. Gawker also has a good collection of insane videos, two of which are highlighted here. Click for more scenes from the day , or read about another, even more disturbing, pepper spray incident . More»

Black Friday Brings Out the Shoppers

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(NEWSER) - Economic woes didn’t prevent shoppers from camping out outside stores across the country this morning, as retailers offered especially deep Black Friday discounts. Most opened early as well, with some, including Wal-Mart and many Old Navy stores, opening yesterday to get a jump on things. Toys R Us opened most of its stores at midnight. More»

Wal-Mart Worker Killed in Black Friday Stampede

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(NEWSER) - Black Friday bargain hunters trampled an employee to death this morning at a Long Island Wal-Mart, the New York Daily News reports. Another woman had a miscarriage in the stampede. The unidentified employee had been trying to hold the unruly crowd back, but the crowd knocked him down and ran over him, eyewitnesses say. Police are investigating. More»

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Was Wal-Mart Trampling a Crime?

Experts mixed on whether death can be prosecuted

crime • death • accidental death • holiday shopping • Black Friday • Walmart • criminal prosecution • civil trial

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More Newser Stories

Trampled Worker's Family Sues Wal-Mart

And more lawsuits coming over Black Friday trampling on Long Island

Wal-Mart Death a Fitting Symbol of the Times

Desperate consumers, ailing economy make for dangerous combination

Black Friday Shoppers Riot Over $2 Waffle Makers

Plus, more pepper spray

Black Friday Brings Out the Shoppers

Consumers not too downtrodden for 5am campouts

Wal-Mart Worker Killed in Black Friday Stampede

Another woman miscarries

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