Dollar General denies allegations in shopper's defamation suit

GALVESTON � Dollar General Corp. recently entered a response to Weldon Lee Miller's lawsuit against it.

In the original answer filed May 9 in the Galveston County 212th District Court, Dollar General denies all allegations contained in Miller's pleadings and demands proof of every fact and matter essential to his case.

Miller, a Galveston County resident, sued the retailer last Feb. 23, claiming a Christmas-time incident at its Dickinson store cost him his job as a contractor.

The plaintiff says that the store's manager berated him for an alleged robbery at the business within earshot of his employer, who later fired him.

Miller was waiting in the checkout line when the manager approached him.

"The defendant's manager on duty stated loud enough for all in line to hear, including the plaintiff's employer who happened to also be in the same line at the time, that the plaintiff fit the description of the individual who had robbed the same store a week before," the original petition says.

It adds Miller told the manager that he was not a thief and that he had a job, but the commotion escalated.

He made his purchases and left, but returned the next day to address the situation.

Another manager told him that no such robbery ever took place, the suit says.

The allegations reportedly prompted Miller's boss to dismiss the plaintiff.

Consequently, he seeks unspecified monetary damages.

Dollar General submitted a jury demand along with the original answer.

Attorney Mark Aronowitz of Texas City is representing Miller and Fulkerson, Feder, Lucero & Wollam LLP is representing the defendant.

Galveston County 212th District Court Judge Susan Criss is presiding over the case.

Case No. 11-cv-0326