New York
Hermes lawsuit claims luxury retailer reserves its famed Birkin bags only for its biggest spenders
Hermes is being targeted in a new lawsuit accusing the luxury retailer of selling its coveted Birkin handbags only to customers who have spent exorbitant amounts of money at the store on other goods.
The proposed federal class-action lawsuit, which was filed this week in San Francisco, alleges that Hermes is violating antitrust law by making customers buy other goods in the store before being granted the privilege of buying a Birkin bag from Hermes.
Birkin handbags, which are handcrafted from leather by artisans in France, can cost tens of thousands of dollars, hundreds of thousands of dollars on the second-hand market, and are seen on the arms of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Cardi B. The handbags can only be purchased in a Hermes store, not on its website.
However, the lawsuit claims that the average customer can’t just walk into a Hermes store, find a Birkin on display and buy it. Rather, customers that are “deemed worthy” will be shown a Birkin in a private room.
Hermes sales associates are tasked with choosing customers that are qualified to buy Birkins, according to the lawsuit.
“These sales associates are directed by Defendants to only offer Birkin handbags to consumers who have established a sufficient “purchase history” or “purchase profile” with Defendants or Defendants’ ancillary products such as shoes, scarves, belts, jewelry and home goods,” the lawsuit states.
While sales associates don’t receive a commission for selling Birkins, the lawsuit claims, they’re instructed to use the Birkin handbags as a way to coerce customers into buying other products, for which they receive a 3% commission.
Hermes did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Thursday.
The lawsuit is seeking class action status for all U.S. residents that, over the past four years, bought or were asked to buy ancillary products in order to purchase a Birkin.
The plaintiffs are seeking an unspecified amount in monetary damages and a court order barring the selling tactics it claims Hermes employs.
Illinois
Judge dismisses sexual assault suit brought by Chicago police officer against superintendent
CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Chicago police officer that alleged sexual assault by former police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, who was out drinking with her the night he was found asleep behind the wheel of his SUV.
U.S. District Judge Elaine Bucklo made the decision without going to trial.
Officer Cynthia Donald, who was assigned to Johnson’s security detail, filed the lawsuit in 2020. Both were married to other people at the time.
“The basic problem with Donald’s claim is that virtually all the evidence of her conduct suggests that she welcomed and was an active participant in her relationship with Johnson,” the judge wrote.
Johnson’s attorney, Michael Leonard, said in a statement that the court “clearly got it right.”
“Mr. Johnson has always owned up to and acknowledged that he engaged in a consensual relationship with Ms. Donald,” the statement said. “The Court rightfully found that Ms. Donald’s claims of sexual harassment were meritless under the circumstances presented — where Ms. Donald admitted in the litigation to engaging in acts, statements, and conduct that undeniably caused Mr. Johnson to reasonably believe that the parties were in fact engaged in a consensual relationship.”
Donald’s attorney Robert McLaughlin, issued a statement saying “we are disappointed” with the ruling and that an appeal is planned.
Donald’s lawsuit alleged Johnson sexually harassed her, pressured her to engage in sexual acts and even texted nude photos of himself to her between 2016 and 2019 after he assigned her to his detail and then as his driver.
“Superintendent Johnson used his position of power and authority over Plaintiff to pressure her into engaging in these sexual acts by conditioning her employment and advancements within (the Chicago Police Department) upon her submission to unwanted and unwelcomed sexual activity, promising her promotions, and berating her whenever she summoned the courage to resist his advances,” the lawsuit alleged.
Former Mayor Lori Johnson fired Johnson in December 2019 for what she said were lies about his actions. While Johnson admitted to the mayor that he’d had “a couple of drinks” that night, he blamed his condition on a change in blood pressure medication. Later, media reports and surveillance video from a Chicago bar that night revealed he had been drinking heavily.
Alabama
Court authorizes execution date for man convicted in 2004 slaying
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Supreme Court on Wednesday authorized an execution date for a man convicted in the 2004 slaying of a couple during a robbery.
Justices granted the Alabama attorney general’s request to authorize an execution date for Jamie Mills, 50. Gov. Kay Ivey will set the exact date. Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola said the office would provide updates as they become available.
Under Alabama procedure, the state Supreme Court authorizes the governor to set an execution date.
Mills was convicted of capital murder for the 2004 slaying of Floyd and Vera Hill in Guin, a city of about 2,000 people in Marion County.
Prosecutors said Mills and his wife went to the couple’s home where he beat the couple and stole money and medications.
Floyd Hill, 87, died from blunt-and sharp-force wounds to his head and neck, and Vera Mills, 72, died from complications of head trauma 12 weeks after the crime, the attorney general’s office wrote in a court filing.
Attorneys for Mills had asked justices to deny the execution date request while they pursue a pending claim of prosecutorial misconduct in the case.
Mills’ attorneys wrote in a March petition to a Marion County judge that prosecutors concealed that they had a plea deal with Mills’ wife that spared her from a possible death sentence. She was the key prosecution witness against Mills at his trial.
The attorney general’s office disputed that there was a pretrial agreement.
Alabama, which carried out the nation’s first execution by nitrogen gas earlier this year, says it plans to put Mills to death by lethal injection.
Hermes lawsuit claims luxury retailer reserves its famed Birkin bags only for its biggest spenders
Hermes is being targeted in a new lawsuit accusing the luxury retailer of selling its coveted Birkin handbags only to customers who have spent exorbitant amounts of money at the store on other goods.
The proposed federal class-action lawsuit, which was filed this week in San Francisco, alleges that Hermes is violating antitrust law by making customers buy other goods in the store before being granted the privilege of buying a Birkin bag from Hermes.
Birkin handbags, which are handcrafted from leather by artisans in France, can cost tens of thousands of dollars, hundreds of thousands of dollars on the second-hand market, and are seen on the arms of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Cardi B. The handbags can only be purchased in a Hermes store, not on its website.
However, the lawsuit claims that the average customer can’t just walk into a Hermes store, find a Birkin on display and buy it. Rather, customers that are “deemed worthy” will be shown a Birkin in a private room.
Hermes sales associates are tasked with choosing customers that are qualified to buy Birkins, according to the lawsuit.
“These sales associates are directed by Defendants to only offer Birkin handbags to consumers who have established a sufficient “purchase history” or “purchase profile” with Defendants or Defendants’ ancillary products such as shoes, scarves, belts, jewelry and home goods,” the lawsuit states.
While sales associates don’t receive a commission for selling Birkins, the lawsuit claims, they’re instructed to use the Birkin handbags as a way to coerce customers into buying other products, for which they receive a 3% commission.
Hermes did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Thursday.
The lawsuit is seeking class action status for all U.S. residents that, over the past four years, bought or were asked to buy ancillary products in order to purchase a Birkin.
The plaintiffs are seeking an unspecified amount in monetary damages and a court order barring the selling tactics it claims Hermes employs.
Illinois
Judge dismisses sexual assault suit brought by Chicago police officer against superintendent
CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Chicago police officer that alleged sexual assault by former police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, who was out drinking with her the night he was found asleep behind the wheel of his SUV.
U.S. District Judge Elaine Bucklo made the decision without going to trial.
Officer Cynthia Donald, who was assigned to Johnson’s security detail, filed the lawsuit in 2020. Both were married to other people at the time.
“The basic problem with Donald’s claim is that virtually all the evidence of her conduct suggests that she welcomed and was an active participant in her relationship with Johnson,” the judge wrote.
Johnson’s attorney, Michael Leonard, said in a statement that the court “clearly got it right.”
“Mr. Johnson has always owned up to and acknowledged that he engaged in a consensual relationship with Ms. Donald,” the statement said. “The Court rightfully found that Ms. Donald’s claims of sexual harassment were meritless under the circumstances presented — where Ms. Donald admitted in the litigation to engaging in acts, statements, and conduct that undeniably caused Mr. Johnson to reasonably believe that the parties were in fact engaged in a consensual relationship.”
Donald’s attorney Robert McLaughlin, issued a statement saying “we are disappointed” with the ruling and that an appeal is planned.
Donald’s lawsuit alleged Johnson sexually harassed her, pressured her to engage in sexual acts and even texted nude photos of himself to her between 2016 and 2019 after he assigned her to his detail and then as his driver.
“Superintendent Johnson used his position of power and authority over Plaintiff to pressure her into engaging in these sexual acts by conditioning her employment and advancements within (the Chicago Police Department) upon her submission to unwanted and unwelcomed sexual activity, promising her promotions, and berating her whenever she summoned the courage to resist his advances,” the lawsuit alleged.
Former Mayor Lori Johnson fired Johnson in December 2019 for what she said were lies about his actions. While Johnson admitted to the mayor that he’d had “a couple of drinks” that night, he blamed his condition on a change in blood pressure medication. Later, media reports and surveillance video from a Chicago bar that night revealed he had been drinking heavily.
Alabama
Court authorizes execution date for man convicted in 2004 slaying
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Supreme Court on Wednesday authorized an execution date for a man convicted in the 2004 slaying of a couple during a robbery.
Justices granted the Alabama attorney general’s request to authorize an execution date for Jamie Mills, 50. Gov. Kay Ivey will set the exact date. Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola said the office would provide updates as they become available.
Under Alabama procedure, the state Supreme Court authorizes the governor to set an execution date.
Mills was convicted of capital murder for the 2004 slaying of Floyd and Vera Hill in Guin, a city of about 2,000 people in Marion County.
Prosecutors said Mills and his wife went to the couple’s home where he beat the couple and stole money and medications.
Floyd Hill, 87, died from blunt-and sharp-force wounds to his head and neck, and Vera Mills, 72, died from complications of head trauma 12 weeks after the crime, the attorney general’s office wrote in a court filing.
Attorneys for Mills had asked justices to deny the execution date request while they pursue a pending claim of prosecutorial misconduct in the case.
Mills’ attorneys wrote in a March petition to a Marion County judge that prosecutors concealed that they had a plea deal with Mills’ wife that spared her from a possible death sentence. She was the key prosecution witness against Mills at his trial.
The attorney general’s office disputed that there was a pretrial agreement.
Alabama, which carried out the nation’s first execution by nitrogen gas earlier this year, says it plans to put Mills to death by lethal injection.
