G&M Lawyers Win “Slavery” Trial
Judge Awards Victim Over $186,000 in Damages Plus $35,000 in Attorney’s Fees
Ghanaian Woman Brought to America Under False Pretenses
Forced to Act as Unpaid Household Servant
With dreams for a better life and opportunity for the future, Margaret Owusuwaah of Ghana was enticed by Barbara Coleman-Blackwell and her husband Kenneth Blackwell to come to America to work for them as their domestic servant. The Blackwells promised a salary along with room and board, but when Ms. Owusuwaah reached the U.S., her dreams turned to nightmares.
The Blackwells treated Ms. Owusuwaah as though she were their slave. She was forced to cook, clean and care for the Blackwell family night and day and was paid nothing. She also cared for other children, but the Blackwells confiscated almost all of the money she earned. They enslaved her using fear tactics such as taking her passport and threatening her with deportation, jail and harm to her family in Ghana, where Ms. Coleman-Blackwell’s mother is a high ranking government official.
For over 17 months, Margaret Owusuwaah suffered emotional trauma and mental abuse as a result of the Blackwells’ enslavement of her in their Takoma Park home. After a criminal investigation and trial, Barbara Coleman-Blackwell was sentenced to 5 years in prison and Kenneth Blackwell was sentenced to home detention and probation. Ms. Owusuwaah hired Goldman & Minton, P.C. to handle the civil case.
The case was tried before Judge Michael Mason of the Circuit Court for Montgomery County. Judge Mason held the Blackwells liable on all counts. Goldman & Minton attorney Charlotte Corwin led Ms. Owusuwaah through compelling and often emotional testimony regarding the Blackwell’s treatment of her, their broken promises, and the horrific circumstances of her life in their home. At the end of the trial, Judge Mason determined that Ms. Owusuwaah’s income should have been $28,975 during the 17 months she spent in the Blackwell home. By failing to pay Ms. Owusuwaah, the Blackwells, as her employers, were also in violation of the Maryland Wage and Hour Law which allows an employee to bring an action to recover unpaid wages. According to Ms. Corwin, “the Maryland Wage and Hour Law allows a court to award up to three times the unpaid wage, plus reasonable counsel fees and other costs.” Judge Mason granted Ms. Owusuwaah the maximum damages, tripling her would-be salary and awarding her $86,925 plus over $34,000 in attorneys fees and costs.Judge Mason also awarded $100,000 in non-economic damages. He decided not to impose punitive damages on the ground that the federal criminal convictions were sufficient punishment for the defendants' acts.
Ms. Owusuwaah is now living in Greenbelt, Maryland and is working at a new job as a caregiver at a nursing home. Recently, two of her children moved from Ghana to live with her. Goldman and Minton is proud to have helped Ms. Owusuwaah regain her American dream.
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