Three Walmart employees are facing manslaughter charges, accused of killing a man who was trying to shoplift from the store.

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Three local Walmart employees have been charged with manslaughter in Polk County following the death of a shoplifting suspect.The three stood before a judge Friday, facing charges of manslaughter. They are accused of suffocating a man who was trying to shoplift.Lakeland Police said the three employees chased 64-year-old Kenneth Wisham after he allegedly stole hundreds of dollars worth of DVDs in February.>>Download the WESH 2 News app for iOS and AndroidAccording to the arrest report, Wisham was walking out of a Lakeland Walmart with close to $400 worth of DVDs in a shopping cart. The three employees -- Crucelis Nunez, a customer service manager; Randall Tomko, loss prevention; and Nathan Higgins, a support manager -- tried to stop Wisham.The report states that Nunez knocked Wisham to the ground and punched him "multiple times with a closed fist." Tomko was accused of "using his weight to hold the victim's upper body down." Higgins allegedly had the victim by the ankles, and "pushed...towards the victim's back."According to police, it was Higgins who heard Wisham say, "Let me go, let me go."When the three employees realized Wisham was not breathing, they called 911, according to the report. The unidentified caller said, "We had him on the ground. We didn't put too much force on him. He doesn't have a pulse now."After they detained him, the 64-year-old stopped breathing and died. An autopsy revealed he had 15 broken ribs and died from mechanical asphyxia due to restraint.An attorney for one Walmart employee said all three were doing what the law allows when taking a shoplifter into custody. "That's exactly what my client did, but he (Wisham) died," said attorney Jeff Holmes. "It's unfortunate, but he was struggling, resisting. They felt he might have a weapon."All three Walmart employees were granted bonds in their initial appearance, with the bonds ranging from $2,500 to $30,000 based on their alleged participation.Tomko, 58, received the highest bond at $30,000. Nunez, 23, got a $20,000 bond and Higgins, 35, had the lowest bond at $2,500.The three were taken into custody Thursday.