Deadra Pattum and her fiancé John Marsden claim they were humiliated inside a beauty supply store last week in Houston when they were forced to take off their clothes to prove they did not steal a pair of cheap earrings.
“I’m not a thief,” said Pattum.
The couple said they were overbilled for a pair of $3 earrings they never took. “I picked them up but I put them back,” said Pattum. “The owner said, ‘you people always steal'” said Marsden, and he said, “give me the earrings and I [will] call police.” My rights were revoked,” she said, according to KHOU Houston News.
The couple claimed they were threatened and forced to remain in the store. Marsden said he was intimidated by the manager and ordered to strip down and be searched.
“So I took off my socks and shoes and I took off my pants,” said Marsden. “I was nervous.” Within minutes, a security officer showed up, and immediately looked at the surveillance video.
“She never left the counter with those earrings in her hand,” the guard reportedly said. “There was no evidence of shoplifting.” Houston Police agreed. Their officers looked at the same video and found no evidence of shoplifting.
Local activist took umbrage at the blatant violation of individual rights and decency.
“This was a classic case of racial profiling in its most humiliating form,” said activist Quanell X. “And something needs to be done about this.”
The owners of the store refused to discuss the specific incident, but said shoplifting is a big problem at their business. But Pattum insists she and her fiancé did nothing wrong.
“Everybody doesn’t shoplift,” said Pattum. “Everybody is not a thief. There are still honest people in the world.”
Deadra Pattum and her fiancé John Marsden claim they were humiliated inside a beauty supply store last week in Houston when they were forced to take off their clothes to prove they did not steal a pair of cheap earrings.
