Tesla was ordered $3.2 million to compensate a former employee in a case concerning racial prejudice

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• After suing Tesla, Owen Diaz, a former employee of Tesla was awarded $3.2 Million in damages.
• This verdict is based on a 2017 complaint about him being subject to racist abuse, and Tesla did not prevent it.
• Diaz had refused to pay $15 million in damages and had filed for a new trial.

The latest ruling in a long-running discrimination case against Tesla saw Owen Diaz, a former employee, awarded $3.2 Million in damages for the racist harassment he suffered while working at Tesla's flagship plant.

Monday's verdict was handed down by a jury. Owens, a former operator of construction elevators, was awarded $175,000 in emotional distress and $3 million in punative damages to stop Tesla from repeating this conduct.

This award is based on a 2017 complaint in which Owens (Black) claimed that he heard racial slurs at Fremont's California factory floor. He also saw racist graffiti and cartoons in company bathrooms and was told by his colleagues to "go back home to Africa".

Tesla was ordered to pay $137m in damages for the lawsuit. However, the amount was reduced to $15m by a judge who claimed that the previous jury had given an "unconstitutionally large sum". Owens turned down the $15 million award in 2022 and instead opted for a new trial. He was eventually awarded a lower amount.

Reuters reported that Owens' lawyers urged jurors Friday to award him $160 million in damages. Tesla, however, argued that the award should be limited to $600,000.

Insider reached out to Tesla representatives and lawyers but they did not respond immediately.

Insider was emailed a statement by Bernard Alexander, Owens' lawyer. He stated that he had already filed for a mistrial based on the latest decision. This is "with respect to defense violations of trial orders that improperly presented evidence and argument both during trial as well as closing arguments."

Alexander stated to Insider that Alexander had submitted the pre-closing motion before it was sent to the jury. He also said that the decision was still pending. "We'll let it settle, and we'll get the court's rulings regarding the defense misconduct."

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By: ktangalakislippert@insider.com (Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert)
Title: Tesla was ordered to pay $3.2 million in damages to a former employee in a racial discrimination case
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/tesla-ordered-to-pay-32m-former-employee-race-discrimination-case-2023-4
Published Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2023 00:21:28 +0000

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