Otto May, a Cuban-born Jew, first filed suit against then DaimlerChrysler in 2002, alleging the company did little to stop 20 years of abuse, including having death threats called to his home, derogatory sayings written on his locker and having his tires shredded by homemade spikes.
The case has taken several turns, including the death of May's original attorney. Finally in 2010 a jury in Rockford ruled in May's favor, awarding him more than $700,000 in compensatory damages and $3.5 million in punitive damages for the alleged harassment that May says continued up to 2005.
On appeal though, U.S. District Court Judge Frederick Kapala lowered the compensatory damage to $300,000 and threw out the punitive damages, ruling that May didn't prove that Chrysler "recklessly disregarded his federally-protected rights."
The case was heard in April 2012 and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision on Aug. 23 reinstating the entire punitive damage award.
Chrysler has continuously denied May's claims and asked for a rehearing. The Seventh Circuit granted the request on Jan. 9 but has not yet scheduled a rehearing.
Read the entire article by clicking on the following: Appeals court withdraws ruling in Chrysler racial discrimination case - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
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