Oberlin College defamation appeal denied by Ohio Supreme Court

The Ohio Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Oberlin College to the $25 million defamation verdict against the school. Tuesday’s announcement is likely to serve as the end to a five-year legal battle between the school and a nearby bakery.

“The issues raised by this case have been challenging, not only for the parties involved, but for the entire Oberlin community,” Oberlin College said in a statement on the defamation appeal getting denied.

Gibson’s Bakery owners Allyn and David Gibson sued Oberlin College back in 2017 following a shoplifting incident involving three black students. David Gibson’s son, also named Allyn, chased and tackled a Black male student he suspected of having stolen a bottle of wine. The students eventually pleaded guilty to various misdemeanor charges.

Before those pleas came, Oberlin’s student government passed a resolution accusing the bakery of a history of racial discrimination.
The dean of students at the time handed out fliers protesting the bakery, and school officials moved to stop ordering food from the bakery for its dining halls.

The Gibsons originally were awarded $44 million in compensatory and punitive damages in June 2019 after a five week trial. A judge later reduced the award to $25 million. Oberlin was also ordered to pay $6 million in attorneys’ fees and $4.5 million in interest, bumping the total up to $36 million.

The Associated Press and Celeveland.com contributed to this report.