Woman wins false arrest case

A Los Angeles jury awarded $2.1 million to a woman who alleged that she was called “hot,” leered at and falsely arrested by two Walgreens security guards -- who also asked for her phone number.

According to the lawsuit, Alicia Benham and a friend tried to return merchandise to a Walgreens on April 17, 2004. Instead, two security guards accused them of theft and “terrorized them” by holding the pair in separate rooms without windows.

Benham’s friend made a confidential settlement before the trial. Wednesday’s verdict was against Walgreens, S & J Security Investigation Inc. and security guard Omar Ray, according to plaintiff’s lawyer James DeSimone.

The second security guard could not be located.

“We’re deeply disappointed and quite frankly shocked by the verdict,” said Walgreens spokesman Michael Polzin.