20 year old Trayvon Christian, the teenager who was racially profiled and detained for purchasing a $350 belt, received a $45,000 settlement from high-end clothing retailer Barney’s New York for the “stop and frisk” incident in April of 2013.
When Christian was 18 years old, he went to the Barney’s store and purchased a reversable, black and white Ferragamo belt and less than a block away, was apprehended by several plain clothes officers that claimed he illegally purchased the belt. It was reported that someone from Barney’s called to report his purchase. Christian was taken to the 19th Precinct on suspicion of fraud and questioned repeatedly as to how he could possibly afford the belt, even though the NYC Tech student had a job. The teen was handcuffed and detained for two hours before being released and given back his money and debit card.
The following year, other African-American consumers who shopped at Barney’s made similar complaints, which forced Barney’s to pay over a half million dollars in fines and legal fees as part of a federal case placed on the company.
