The president of Oberlin, Carmen Twillie Ambar, has been defiant in the face of the judgment and has continued to deny any fault on the part of Oberlin. Unwilling to accept the jury’s decision, Ambar
for speedy relief, saying that it will go out of business in a matter of months unless there is a substantial change in circumstances. The case emerged from a November 2016 incident in which a black Oberlin student attempted to shoplift two bottles of wine from the bakery. When the store clerk attempted to take his picture to show to police, the student slapped the clerk in the face. The clerk pursued the student and tackled him. Two of the student’s friends, who were also black students at Oberlin, responded by assaulting the clerk with the help of the shoplifter.