Oberlin College is finally paying out the full $36.59 million in court-ordered defamation damages to a mom-and-pop bakery that it slandered as racist. The leftist school had previously fought desperately to avoid paying the judgment.
The move by the school to finally pay what it owes the bakery comes after the Ohio Supreme Court refused to hear its appeal, according to a report by WKYC.
Oberlin College had been ordered to pay Gibson’s Bakery $33 million for defamation damages in 2019 after Meredith Raimondo — now an ex-dean — orchestrated a woke mob into slandering the family as racists for calling the police on three black students for allegedly shoplifting a bottle of wine.
The Ohio college reacted by appealing the ruling against them. Meanwhile, Gibson’s Bakery struggled to survive after Oberlin College students and Raimondo falsely accused the business of racism.
Now, the Ohio Supreme Court has declined to hear Oberlin’s appeal of the judgment awarded to the bakery, and the college is finally paying up. The total amount represents the judgment, plus attorney fees, and accumulated interest, the college said.
“We are disappointed by the Court’s decision. However, this does not diminish our respect for the law and the integrity of our legal system,” Oberlin College said. “This matter has been painful for everyone. We hope that the end of the litigation will begin the healing of our entire community.”
The payment comes nearly six years after Allyn Gibson, the son of the bakery’s co-owner David Gibson, confronted a black male student he suspected of stealing a bottle of wine.
The incident resulted in three students being arrested, and later pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges.
After the arrests, protestors swarmed outside of Gibson’s Bakery and handed out flyers — some by an Oberlin College vice president and dean of students — accusing the Gibson family of being racist.
“Truth Still Matters, David can still overcome Goliath,” attorneys at Plakas Mannos, representing the Gibson family, told 3News after the Ohio Supreme Court decided not to hear the appeal. “We and the Gibson family are gratified that all judges on the court of appeals and the majority of the Ohio Supreme Court recognized the rights of individuals rather than the bullying tactics of the big institutions.”
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