Four Campus Copy Center employees were found liable for the April 2001 assault of Graduate School of Education student Greg Seaton, a Pennsylvania civil court ruled Tuesday.
The jury unanimously found Campus Copy owner Ronald Shapiro and three of his employees, John Caplan, Joseph Bristow and Robert McGrody, liable for negligence, assault and battery and false imprisonment.
Seaton was awarded $350,000, more than $175,000 of which was in punitive damages.
"Truth prevailed," Seaton said. "I've waited two years, almost to the day, for this victory."
Shapiro, however, said that Campus Copy "did absolutely nothing wrong and will be appealing the verdict." He would not comment further.
On April 2, 2001, Seaton entered Campus Copy Center, located on the 3900 block of Walnut Street, looking to get a large order processed. After helping him for a few minutes, the store attendant "went to the back to get the manager," Seaton said.
The two returned a few minutes later, only to ignore Seaton and instead assist Graduate School of Education Professor Erling Boe, who had come into the store later, Seaton alleged.
Seaton mentioned to Shapiro that he had arrived first, and "he said to me, 'You were here first, and you will be served last,'" Seaton said.
After a brief verbal exchange, Shapiro reached out and shoved Seaton, Seaton argued in court. When Seaton moved to swipe his hand away, he knocked Shapiro's glasses off, and a fight broke out.
Seaton alleges he was then beaten by multiple Campus Copy workers, repeatedly punched and kicked, even after he had fallen to the ground. Seaton also alleges employees locked the door to the store, trapping Seaton inside.
Before the civil case had convened, both the University Police and a federal court reviewed the matter.
The University Police found that "the incident boiled down to irreconcilable differences between Seaton's account and that of Campus Copy officials" and could not place blame on either party, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported on August 30, 2001.
"I felt abandoned by the Penn administration," Seaton said, but added that he was pleased with those who did offer their support.
The federal courts later found that the case did not fall within their jurisdiction, Seaton said, so he took his suit to state court.
Neither University General Counsel Wendy White nor University spokeswoman Phyllis Holtzman had any comment on the recent verdict.
Seaton said that while he believes "the defendants took a lot of creative license with the truth" throughout the civil trial, which began two weeks ago, he was confident that he would win the case.
"It was a matter of faith for me," he said. "Faith that truth and righteousness would prevail."
Roland Atkins, Seaton's attorney, called the verdict "reasonable."
"I think the theme that carried him through was that the jury was convinced that he was telling the truth," he said.
Atkins said he thinks that Shapiro's appeal will be overturned, citing the "clean" nature of the trial and the lack of any procedural deficiencies that would warrant another hearing.
Seaton called the entire two-year process "painful."
Following the incident -- which was publicized to the University community via a mass email -- a boycott of Campus Copy and protests erupted.
Seaton has since been involved in an ongoing campaign to boycott the establishment. He has asked faculty members to stop ordering their bulkpacks from the store and requested that students take their photocopying and postal business elsewhere.
"I'm a Penn student, and I want Penn solidarity," he said. "If this could happen to me, it could happen to anyone.
Campus Copy Case • April 2, 2001: Seaton is allegedly assaulted by Campus Copy Center employees. • The following weekend: Seaton writes an e-mail describing the incident that circulates via University listservs. • April 9, 2001: Over a dozen campus groups lobby the University to boycott Campus Copy. • April 11, 2001: Undergraduate Assembly issues a statement against Campus Copy. • April 13, 2001: Over 20 protesters gather in front of Campus Copy. • April 18, 2001: Campus Copy issues an apology to Seaton. • April 25, 2001: Seaton files a lawsuit against the University, Campus Copy and witness and GSE Professor Erling Boe, claiming assault, battery and civil rights violations. • August 2001: Seaton files more charges in a discrimination lawsuit against Boe. • October 2001: The University releases guidelines for local businesses. • December 2001: A federal judge rules that neither Penn nor Boe can be held liable for the alleged assault. • January 18, 2002: Seaton files a civil lawsuit against Campus Copy. • April 22, 2003: A civil court ruling finds four Campus Copy employees liable for the alleged assault.
