In the case of Neeka Tillman et al. v. L Brands, Inc., et al., filed in the Court of Appeal of the State of California, Second Appellate District, Division Four (Case ID: B318235) on April 25, 2024, the plaintiffs are appealing against judgments made by the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. The lawsuit revolves around an incident where Neeka Tillman was falsely accused and arrested for a retail theft at a Victoria's Secret store in 2017.
Neeka Tillman was misidentified as a participant in an organized retail theft at a Victoria’s Secret store in The Oaks Mall in Ventura County. A Victoria’s Secret employee erroneously identified Ms. Tillman as one of the shoplifters, leading to her arrest by the Ventura County Sheriffs Department. After security footage proved her innocence, she was released from custody.
Ms. Tillman and her husband, William Tillman, subsequently sued Victoria’s Secret Stores, LLC and its parent company, L Brands, Inc., along with The Macerich Company and Universal Protection Service LP dba Allied Universal Security Services Systems & Solutions for false accusation based on race or skin color. They were represented by Gary Rand & Suzanne E. Rand-Lewis and Suzanne E. Rand-Lewis while defendants were represented by Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease; Thomas N. McCormick and Jocelyn M. Hoffman; Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker; David R Hunt.
The plaintiffs seek justice for being treated like criminals solely because of their race or skin color after being falsely accused of wrongdoing and arrested without proper evidence or investigation.