A federal jury found that a Harahan Hobby Lobby discriminated against a Jefferson Parish man with a mental handicap when he was thrown out of the store and then pepper-sprayed three years ago.
Charles “Chip” George, was awarded damages after his attorneys argued that the actions of the store manager violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by treating him less favorably than others because of his disability. But the jury of six women and two men rejected a separate claim that the store failed to provide reasonable accommodations for George, and reduced the damages from about $450,000 to $10,000.
In the civil case filed on behalf of George by his family, attorneys claimed that George shopped at the Harahan store along Citrus Boulevard for over 10 years without incident. George liked to buy paintings of comic book superheroes like Batman, Superman and the Incredible Hulk…