TN:WALMART INCIDENT /DEPARATURES

## Shot 11/16/2009. ## MEMPHIS, TN (WMC-TV) - What began as a simple trip to Walmart for a Mid-South woman ended with her facing the possibility of a 15 years in prison, and some are calling it a classic case of racism. Three years ago, Heather Ellis, 24, became involved in an argument after she was accused of cutting in line at a Walmart in Kennett, Missouri. "When she got in line, she was accused of cutting the line. The Walmart clerk refused to serve her," said Dr. Boyce Watkins, a professor at Syracuse University. "That led to a back and forth which ultimately led to the assistant manager being called, to the security guard being called, and ultimately to the police being called." Ellis’s family says she didn't cut in line, but rather got in line with her cousin. "There's nothing that I can imagine that could have happened inside the walls of that Walmart that justifies this woman - a pastor's daughter with no criminal record, on her way to Medical School - with having to go to prison 15 minutes, let

Channel: CNN ImageSource Video Length: 6m 2s Date Found: Tue, Mar 30 2010 8:55 PM Category: Stock Footage Date Produced: Mon, Nov 16 2009 12:00 AM View Count: 0