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Dillard's has asked a state Supreme Court panel to block a black judge from presiding over racial-profiling lawsuits against the department store chain. The Little Rock, Ark.-based company argued Tuesday that comments by Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie T. Green in a Jackson television station's story on racial profiling put her impartiality in question. Since 1998, Dillard's has been the target of lawsuits that alleged the company, in general terms, discriminated against African Americans and suspected black customers of shoplifting. Green, whose son is a police officer, was interviewed by the television station about a complaint she had filed with the Jackson Police Department over a traffic stop. "Nowhere in that interview does she say she was racially profiled ... because they say it over and over in their brief does not make it true," said plaintiffs attorney Dennis Sweet of Jackson said Dillard's attorney, Dan Jordan of Jackson, said the chain was not alleging Green was not impartial or fair. However, he said Green's "life experience in this regard is so close to the plaintiffs ... a reasonable person could believe she could not be impartial." He said that was the standard by which the Supreme Court has decided previous judge recusal issues. In the interview — and the complaint — Green contended the officer harassed her and that she was angry and hurt over the incident, Jordan said. The plaintiffs have alleged they were unreasonably searched, questioned or denied service at stores across the South. Dillard's has denied the allegations. The plaintiffs also contend off-duty police officers employed as security "harass and victimize patrons who they think might not be the ideal and desirable customers to shop in their store." [more]

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