Case Title: Ex parte Jerome Theodorou. PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS (In re: Jerome Theodorou v. State of Alabama)

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1090393

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2010-06-30T00:00:00Z

Document:
REL: 06/30/2010 
Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 
((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r 
o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1090393 
Ex p a r t e Jerome Theodorou 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI 
TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS 
( I n r e : 
Jerome Theodorou 
v. 
S t a t e o f Alabama) 
(Lawrence C i r c u i t Court, CC-05-344; 
Court o f C r i m i n a l Appeals, CR-07-0615) 
SMITH, 
J u s t i c e . 
Jerome T h e o d o r o u p l e a d e d 
g u i l t y t o 
t h i r d - d e g r e e r e c e i v i n g 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y , s e e § 13A-8-19, A l a . 
Code 1 
975,
 
1 a n d 
was 
1 S e c t i o n 13A-8-19, A l a . Code 1 9 7 5 , p r o v i d e s : 
" ( a ) 
R e c e i v i n g 
s t o l e n p r o p e r t y w h i c h d o e s n o t 
e x c e e d 
f i v e 
h u n d r e d 
d o l l a r s 
($500) 
i n 
v a l u e 
c o n s t i t u t e s 
r e c e i v i n g s t o l e n p r o p e r t y i n 
t h e t h i r d 
1090393 
s e n t e n c e d t o 12 months 
i n p r i s o n . 
F o l l o w i n g a h e a r i n g a t 
w h i c h b o t h t h e S t a t e and T h e o d o r o u p r e s e n t e d e v i d e n c e , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d an 
o r d e r 
r e q u i r i n g 
T h e o d o r o u 
t o p a y 
$ 3 3 , 4 1 7 . 9 4 i n r e s t i t u t i o n . 
T h e o d o r o u a p p e a l e d t h e r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r t o t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s . 
See § 1 5 - 1 8 - 7 8 ( a ) , 
A l a . 
Code 1 9 7 5 . 
The C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
a f f i r m e d t h e 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r i n an u n p u b l i s h e d memorandum, T h e o d o r o u v . 
S t a t e , 
[No. CR-07-0615, 
O c t . 2, 2009] 
So. 3d 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 2 0 0 9 ) , and t h i s C o u r t g r a n t e d T h e o d o r o u ' s 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r a w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i . 
We 
a f f i r m . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y 
I n 
S e p t e m b e r 
2004, 
a 
b a c k h o e 
was 
s t o l e n 
f r o m 
a 
c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e i n 
Town C r e e k . 
A h y d r a u l i c d e v i c e d e s c r i b e d 
as a "hammer a t t a c h m e n t " was a t t a c h e d t o t h e b a c k h o e when 
i t 
was s t o l e n . 
The b a c k h o e and t h e 
hammer a t t a c h m e n t b e l o n g e d t o 
Bussman C o n s t r u c t i o n Company, w h i c h was p e r f o r m i n g w o r k a t 
t h e 
c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e . 
A f t e r t h r e e d a y s , Bussman C o n s t r u c t i o n was 
a b l e t o o b t a i n a r e p l a c e m e n t b a c k h o e t o c o n t i n u e w o r k i n g a t 
d e g r e e . 
" ( b ) 
R e c e i v i n g 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y i n t h e 
t h i r d 
d e g r e e i s a C l a s s A m i s d e m e a n o r . " 
2 
1090393 
t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e . 
I n 
M a r c h 
2005, 
t h e 
s t o l e n 
b a c k h o e 
a n d t h e hammer 
a t t a c h m e n t 
were 
r e c o v e r e d 
f r o m 
T h e o d o r o u ' s 
p r o p e r t y . 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o T h e o d o r o u , he p u r c h a s e d t h e b a c k h o e a n d t h e 
hammer a t t a c h m e n t f o r $45,000 on J a n u a r y 20, 2005, f r o m an 
i n d i v i d u a l named James Cannon. 
T h e o d o r o u 
t e s t i f i e d t h a t he 
p u r c h a s e d t h e e q u i p m e n t i n G u l f S h o r e s , A l a b a m a , w h i l e he was 
p e r f o r m i n g 
h u r r i c a n e - d i s a s t e r w o r k f o l l o w i n g H u r r i c a n e 
I v a n , 
and t h a t he l a t e r 
t r a n s p o r t e d t h e e q u i p m e n t t o h i s h o u s e i n 
L a w r e n c e C o u n t y , a p p r o x i m a t e l y 10 m i l e s f r o m t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n 
s i t e where t h e e q u i p m e n t h a d b e e n 
s t o l e n . 
T h e o d o r o u was 
i n d i c t e d on A u g u s t 12, 2005, f o r 
f i r s t -
d e g r e e 
r e c e i v i n g s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y . 
On 
J u n e 20, 2006, 
he 
p l e a d e d g u i l t y t o t h i r d - d e g r e e r e c e i v i n g s t o l e n p r o p e r t y a n d 
was s e n t e n c e d t o 12 months i n j a i l . 
The t r i a l c o u r t s u s p e n d e d 
t h e 
s e n t e n c e a n d p l a c e d 
T h e o d o r o u on 12 m o n t h s ' 
s u p e r v i s e d 
p r o b a t i o n . 
On 
S e p t e m b e r 
14, 2006, 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
c o n d u c t e d a 
h e a r i n g t o d e t e r m i n e t h e 
amount o f r e s t i t u t i o n T h e o d o r o u w o u l d 
be r e q u i r e d t o p a y . T h e o d o r o u a n d D a v i d Bussman, t h e owner o f 
Bussman C o n s t r u c t i o n , t e s t i f i e d a t t h a t 
h e a r i n g . 
3 
1090393 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o 
B u s s m a n , 
t h e 
b a c k h o e 
a n d 
t h e hammer 
a t t a c h m e n t 
c o s t $ 8 6 , 7 2 8 . 8 6 . 
He p u r c h a s e d t h e b a c k h o e i n May 
2004 f o r $ 6 6 , 1 1 2 . 5 0 ; a l t h o u g h 
t h e r e c o r d does n o t i n d i c a t e 
when he p u r c h a s e d i t , Bussman p u r c h a s e d t h e 
hammer a t t a c h m e n t 
f o r 
$ 2 0 , 6 1 6 . 3 6 . 
Bussman h a d 
i n s u r a n c e 
c o v e r a g e 
f o r t h e 
b a c k h o e b u t n o t f o r 
t h e hammer a t t a c h m e n t . 
Bussman 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t t h e 
hammer a t t a c h m e n t r e t u r n e d t o h i m h a d n o t b e e n s t o r e d 
p r o p e r l y a n d t h a t i t 
t h e r e f o r e d i d 
n o t h a v e any v a l u e a n d 
h a d 
t o 
be 
r e p l a c e d . 
Bussman 
C o n s t r u c t i o n 
r e c e i v e d 
i n s u r a n c e 
p r o c e e d s o f $64,500 f o r 
t h e l o s s o f t h e b a c k h o e ,
2 
l e a v i n g a 
l o s s o f $22,228.86 ($20,616.36 f o r 
t h e hammer a t t a c h m e n t a n d 
$1,612.50 f o r 
t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e c o s t o f t h e b a c k h o e a n d 
t h e 
i n s u r a n c e 
p r o c e e d s r e c e i v e d f o r 
t h e b a c k h o e ) . 
I n a d d i t i o n , Bussman t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t Bussman 
C o n s t r u c t i o n 
was u n a b l e t o o p e r a t e a t t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e f o r 
t h r e e 
d a y s 
a f t e r t h e t h e f t o f t h e b a c k h o e 
a n d t h e hammer 
a t t a c h m e n t . 
Bussman e s t i m a t e d 
t h a t t h e l o s s 
r e s u l t i n g 
f r o m t h o s e 
t h r e e 
d a y s was $ 6 , 6 1 6 . 5 8 . 
He 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t he c a l c u l a t e d 
t h a t 
amount by d i v i d i n g t h e g r o s s 
r e v e n u e o f Bussman 
C o n s t r u c t i o n 
f o r t h e y e a r by t h e number o f w o r k i n g d a y s i n t h e y e a r , 
w i t h 
2 T h e r e c o r d d o e s n o t i n d i c a t e w h a t h a p p e n e d t o 
t h e b a c k h o e 
t h a t was r e c o v e r e d 
f r o m 
T h e o d o r o u . 
4 
1090393 
t h e 
r e s u l t i n g number 
r e p r e s e n t i n g 
t h e a v e r a g e 
r e v e n u e p e r 
w o r k i n g d a y .
3 
Bussman t h e n m u l t i p l i e d t h a t number by t h r e e t o 
a r r i v e a t $ 6 , 6 1 6 . 5 8 . 
Bussman 
a l s o 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t Bussman 
C o n s t r u c t i o n 
l o s t 
$4,572.50 as a r e s u l t o f t h e r e p l a c e m e n t o f t h e b a c k h o e . 
Bussman c a l c u l a t e d t h a t sum b y c o m b i n i n g t h e e s t i m a t e d 
amount 
o f d e p r e c i a t i o n w i t h 
c e r t a i n m o n t h l y p a y m e n t s he h a d made on 
t h e b a c k h o e b e f o r e 
i t was s t o l e n , a l l o f w h i c h , a c c o r d i n g t o 
Bussman, were n o t c o v e r e d b y t h e i n s u r a n c e 
p r o c e e d s . 
A f t e r t h e r e s t i t u t i o n h e a r i n g , t h e t r i a l c o u r t e n t e r e d an 
o r d e r 
r e q u i r i n g T h e o d o r o u t o p a y r e s t i t u t i o n i n 
t h e amount o f 
$ 3 3 , 4 1 7 . 9 4 . 
T h a t sum 
i n c l u d e d 
$20,616.36 f o r t h e hammer 
a t t a c h m e n t , $1,612.50 f o r 
t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e c o s t o f 
t h e 
b a c k h o e a n d t h e i n s u r a n c e 
p r o c e e d s 
p a i d 
f o r t h e b a c k h o e , 
$6,616.58 f o r l o s t 
r e v e n u e , a n d $4,572.50 f o r r e p l a c e m e n t 
l o s s . 
3 B u s s m a n t e s t i f i e d t h a t he h a d c o u n t e d e a c h w e e k d a y a s a 
" w o r k i n g d a y . " He s t a t e d t h a t t h e a c t u a l number o f w o r k i n g 
d a y s was l e s s b e c a u s e o f f a c t o r s s u c h as b a d w e a t h e r . 
He h a d 
n o t d e t e r m i n e d t h e 
p r e c i s e number o f d a y s i n 
t h e y e a r a c t u a l l y 
w o r k e d , h o w e v e r , b u t he s t a t e d 
t h a t a l o w e r number o f d a y s 
a c t u a l l y w o r k e d w o u l d h a v e r e s u l t e d i n t h e c a l c u l a t i o n o f a 
h i g h e r 
a v e r a g e r e v e n u e p e r d a y . He a l s o 
t e s t i f i e d on c r o s s -
e x a m i n a t i o n 
t h a t he d i d 
n o t know i f 
t h e w e a t h e r w o u l d h a v e 
p r e v e n t e d 
Bussman 
C o n s t r u c t i o n 
f r o m 
w o r k i n g 
a t 
t h e 
c o n s t r u c t i o n 
s i t e on t h e t h r e e d a y s i n q u e s t i o n . 
5 
1090393 
T h e o d o r o u 
f i l e d 
a 
m o t i o n 
f o r 
a 
new 
t r i a l , 
w h i c h 
was 
d e n i e d 
by 
o p e r a t i o n 
o f 
l a w 
on November 24, 
2007. 
T h e o d o r o u 
a p p e a l e d 
t h e 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r 
t o 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s . 
On O c t o b e r 2, 2009, t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s , 
i n 
an 
u n p u b l i s h e d 
memorandum, 
a f f i r m e d 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r . 
P r e s i d i n g J u d g e W i s e 
and 
J u d g e 
W e l c h 
d i s s e n t e d , e a c h w i t h 
o p i n i o n . 
T h i s C o u r t g r a n t e d 
T h e o d o r o u ' s p e t i t i o n 
f o r t h e w r i t 
o f 
c e r t i o r a r i 
on M a r c h 4, 
2010. 
D i s c u s s i o n 
"The 
r i g h t o f c r i m e v i c t i m s t o r e c e i v e r e s t i t u t i o n i s s e t 
f o r t h i n t h e R e s t i t u t i o n t o V i c t i m s o f C r i m e s A c t , § 15-18-65 
e t s e q . , 
A l a . Code 1975 
('the 
A c t ' ) . " 
R o b e r t s v. 
S t a t e , 
863 
So. 
2d 
1149, 
1152 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 
2 0 0 2 ) . 
S e c t i o n 
1 5 - 1 8 - 6 5 , 
A l a . Code 1975, 
p r o v i d e s 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
"The 
L e g i s l a t u r e 
h e r e b y 
f i n d s , 
d e c l a r e s 
and 
d e t e r m i n e s 
t h a t 
i t 
i s 
e s s e n t i a l 
t o 
be 
f a i r 
and 
i m p a r t i a l i n t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f j u s t i c e , t h a t a l l 
p e r p e t r a t o r s 
o f 
c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t y 
o r 
c o n d u c t 
be 
r e q u i r e d 
t o 
f u l l y 
c o m p e n s a t e 
a l l v i c t i m s 
o f 
s u c h 
c o n d u c t 
o r 
a c t i v i t y 
f o r any 
p e c u n i a r y 
l o s s , damage 
o r 
i n j u r y 
as 
a d i r e c t o r 
i n d i r e c t 
r e s u l t 
t h e r e o f . 
The 
p r o v i s i o n s o f t h i s 
a r t i c l e 
s h a l l be c o n s t r u e d 
so 
as 
t o 
a c c o m p l i s h 
t h i s 
p u r p o s e 
and 
t o p r o m o t e 
t h e 
same 
w h i c h 
s h a l l 
be 
t h e 
p u b l i c 
p o l i c y 
o f 
t h i s 
s t a t e . " 
6 
1090393 
As 
t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
s t a t e d 
i n R o b e r t s : 
"The 
l e g i s l a t i v e p u r p o s e 
u n d e r l y i n g t h e A c t , as e v i d e n c e d b y 
t h e 
p l a i n l a n g u a g e o f § 1 5 - 1 8 - 6 5 , was t o f u l l y c o m p e n s a t e 
v i c t i m s 
o f c r i m e f o r 'any p e c u n i a r y l o s s , damage o r i n j u r y ' 
s u f f e r e d 
as a d i r e c t o r i n d i r e c t r e s u l t o f a c r i m i n a l a c t . " 
863 So. 
2d 
a t 1153 
( c i t i n g 
B u t l e r v. 
S t a t e , 
608 
So. 2d 773 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1 9 9 2 ) , and G l a d d e n v. S t a t e , 644 So. 2d 1267 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1 9 9 3 ) ) . 
I n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t ' s r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r 
q u o t e s t h e f o l l o w i n g f r o m t h a t p o r t i o n o f t h e A c t c o d i f i e d a t 
§ 1 5 - 1 8 - 6 7 , A l a . Code 
1975: 
"When a d e f e n d a n t 
i s c o n v i c t e d 
o f a 
c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t y o r c o n d u c t w h i c h has r e s u l t e d i n p e c u n i a r y 
damages o r l o s s t o a v i c t i m , t h e c o u r t s h a l l h o l d a 
h e a r i n g 
t o 
d e t e r m i n e 
t h e 
amount 
o r 
t y p e 
o f 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
due 
t h e 
v i c t i m 
o r 
v i c t i m s 
o f 
s u c h 
d e f e n d a n t ' s 
c r i m i n a l 
a c t s . 
S u c h 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
h e a r i n g s 
s h a l l be h e l d as a m a t t e r o f c o u r s e and i n 
a d d i t i o n t o a n y o t h e r s e n t e n c e w h i c h i t may 
i m p o s e , 
t h e 
c o u r t 
s h a l l 
o r d e r 
t h a t 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
make 
r e s t i t u t i o n o r o t h e r w i s e c o m p e n s a t e s u c h v i c t i m f o r 
a n y p e c u n i a r y damages. 
The d e f e n d a n t , t h e v i c t i m o r 
v i c t i m s , 
o r 
t h e i r 
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s 
o r 
t h e 
a d m i n i s t r a t o r o f a n y v i c t i m ' s e s t a t e as w e l l as t h e 
d i s t r i c t a t t o r n e y s h a l l h a v e t h e r i g h t t o be p r e s e n t 
and be 
h e a r d upon t h e 
i s s u e 
o f 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
a t 
a n y 
s u c h h e a r i n g s . " 
S e c t i o n 
1 5 - 1 8 - 6 6 ( 2 ) , 
A l a . 
Code 
1975, 
d e f i n e s 
" p e c u n i a r y 
damages" as 
7 
1090393 
" [ a ] l l 
s p e c i a l damages w h i c h a p e r s o n s h a l l r e c o v e r 
a g a i n s t t h e d e f e n d a n t i n a c i v i l 
a c t i o n 
a r i s i n g 
o u t 
o f 
t h e f a c t s o r e v e n t s c o n s t i t u t i n g t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s 
c r i m i n a l a c t i v i t i e s ; t h e t e r m s h a l l i n c l u d e , b u t n o t 
be 
l i m i t e d 
t o 
t h e money 
o r 
o t h e r 
e q u i v a l e n t 
o f 
p r o p e r t y t a k e n , b r o k e n , d e s t r o y e d , o r o t h e r w i s e u s e d 
o r harmed and l o s s e s s u c h as t r a v e l , m e d i c a l , d e n t a l 
o r 
b u r i a l 
e x p e n s e s 
and 
wages 
i n c l u d i n g 
b u t 
n o t 
l i m i t e d 
t o 
wages 
l o s t 
as 
a 
r e s u l t 
o f 
c o u r t 
a p p e a r a n c e s . " 
S e c t i o n 
1 5 - 1 8 - 6 6 ( 4 ) , 
A l a . Code 
1975, 
d e f i n e s 
" v i c t i m " 
as 
" [ a ] n y p e r s o n whom t h e c o u r t d e t e r m i n e s has s u f f e r e d a d i r e c t 
o r 
i n d i r e c t p e c u n i a r y damage as a r e s u l t 
o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s 
c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t i e s . 
' V i c t i m ' 
s h a l l 
n o t 
i n c l u d e 
a n y 
p a r t i c i p a n t i n t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t i e s . " 
T h e o d o r o u 
c o n t e n d s 
t h a t 
t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
e r r e d i n a f f i r m i n g t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r . 
He 
a r g u e s 
f i r s t 
t h a t 
t h e 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r was 
b a s e d 
"upon 
a 
c r i m i n a l 
a c t f o r w h i c h T h e o d o r o u was 
n o t 
c o n v i c t e d 
o r , f o r 
t h a t m a t t e r , e v e n c h a r g e d o r i m p l i c a t e d . " 
( T h e o d o r o u ' s 
b r i e f , 
p. 6.) 
He 
c o n t e n d s 
t h a t t h e t h e f t 
o f t h e p r o p e r t y - - a n d n o t 
h i s 
r e c e i p t 
o f t h e 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y - - p r o x i m a t e l y 
c a u s e d 
t h e 
damage 
f o r 
w h i c h 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
o r d e r e d 
T h e o d o r o u 
t o 
c o m p e n s a t e Bussman C o n s t r u c t i o n . T h e o d o r o u c o n t e n d s t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t t h e r e f o r e e x c e e d e d 
i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n i s s u i n g 
t h e 
r e s t i t u t i o n o r d e r . 
8 
1090393 
I n R e e v e s v . S t a t e , 24 So. 3d 549, 553 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 
2 0 0 9 ) , t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
s t a t e d : 
" ' B e f o r e a d e f e n d a n t 
c a n be 
h e l d 
l i a b l e f o r 
damages, i t must be e s t a b l i s h e d 
t h a t h i s c r i m i n a l 
a c t was t h e p r o x i m a t e c a u s e o f t h e i n j u r y 
s u s t a i n e d 
by t h e v i c t i m . ' 
S t r o u g h v . S t a t e , 501 So. 2d 488, 
491 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1 9 8 6 ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
u n d e r 
A l a b a m a ' s 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
s t a t u t e , 
R e e v e s 
c o u l d 
be 
o r d e r e d 
t o p a y 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o n l y 
i f one 
o f two 
c o n d i t i o n s 
e x i s t e d : 
(1) h i s v i c t i m s 
s u f f e r e d any 
d i r e c t o r i n d i r e c t p e c u n i a r y l o s s e s as a r e s u l t o f 
t h e a c t i v i t y f o r 
w h i c h he h a s b e e n c o n v i c t e d o r , (2) 
he 
a d m i t t e d t o o t h e r 
c r i m i n a l 
c o n d u c t 
d u r i n g t h e 
p r o c e e d i n g s 
t h a t 
was t h e p r o x i m a t e 
c a u s e 
o f any 
i n j u r i e s t o t h e v i c t i m s . 
Lamar v . S t a t e , 803 So. 2d 
576 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 2001 
) . 
The 
S t a t e h a s t h e 
b u r d e n o f p r o v i n g t h a t a d e f e n d a n t ' s 
c r i m i n a l a c t 
was 
t h e p r o x i m a t e 
c a u s e 
o f t h e v i c t i m ' s 
i n j u r y 
b e f o r e a d e f e n d a n t c a n be h e l d 
l i a b l e f o r damages. 
R i c h a r d s o n v. S t a t e , 
603 So. 2d 1132 ( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 19 
9 2 ) . " 
O r d i n a r i l y , t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s 
a b i l i t y t o f o r e s e e t h a t t h e 
v i c t i m 
w o u l d 
s u f f e r 
damage 
as a 
r e s u l t 
o f t h e 
c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t y 
d e t e r m i n e s 
w h e t h e r 
p r o x i m a t e 
c a u s e 
e x i s t s . 
I n 
S t r o u g h v . S t a t e , 501 So. 2d 488, 491 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 1 9 8 6 ) , 
t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
s t a t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g r e g a r d i n g 
f o r e s e e a b i l i t y : 
"As 
o u r Supreme 
C o u r t 
o b s e r v e d 
i n A l a b a m a 
Power 
 
Company v. 
T a y l o r , 
293 A l a . 484, 30 
6 So. 2d 236 
( 1 9 7 5 ) , 
f o r e s e e a b i l i t y 
i s 
t h e 
c o r n e r s t o n e 
o f 
p r o x i m a t e c a u s e . 
T h i s does n o t mean, h o w e v e r , 
t h a t 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
must 
h a v e 
a c t u a l l y 
f o r e s e e n t h e 
p a r t i c u l a r 
i n j u r y 
w h i c h 
r e s u l t e d 
f r o m h i s a c t i o n . 
9 
1090393 
R a t h e r , t h e i n j u r y s u s t a i n e d by t h e v i c t i m must h a v e 
b e e n o f s u c h a n a t u r e t h a t a r e a s o n a b l e p e r s o n 
c o u l d 
h a v e f o r e s e e n o r a n t i c i p a t e d 
t h a t t h e i n j u r y 
m i g h t 
o c c u r 
as 
a 
n a t u r a l 
c o n s e q u e n c e 
o f 
t h e 
a c t i o n . 
W i l l i a m s v. Woodman, 424 So. 2d 611 
( A l a . 1 
9 8 2 ) ; 
P r e s c o t t 
v. 
M a r t i n , 
331 So. 2d 240 
( A l a . 1 
97 
6 ) . 
Where an 
i n j u r y i s c a u s e d b y 
i n t e n t i o n a l 
c o n d u c t , 
 
t h e 
r u l e s 
o f p r o x i m a t e 
c a u s e 
a r e more 
l i b e r a l l y 
 
a p p l i e d . 
P h i l l i p s v . S m a l l e y M a i n t e n a n c e 
S e r v i c e s , 
 
I n c . , 
435 So. 2d 705 ( A l a . 1 9 8 3 ) . " 
( E m p h a s i s added.) 
Thus, i n r e v i e w i n g t h e r e s t i t u t i o n o r d e r i n 
t h e 
p r e s e n t c a s e , we must d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r i n r e c e i v i n g t h e 
s t o l e n p r o p e r t y T h e o d o r o u s h o u l d h a v e r e a s o n a b l y f o r e s e e n t h a t 
h i s 
c r i m i n a l 
c o n d u c t 
w o u l d 
c a u s e 
Bussman 
and 
Bussman 
C o n s t r u c t i o n t o s u s t a i n t h e p a r t i c u l a r damage f o r w h i c h t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t o r d e r e d r e s t i t u t i o n . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , we n o t e 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t has w i d e d i s c r e t i o n i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e amount 
o f 
r e s t i t u t i o n . 
Howard v . S t a t e , 639 So. 2d 555, 556 ( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 1993) ("'"The p a r t i c u l a r amount o f r e s t i t u t i o n i s 
a m a t t e r w h i c h must o f n e c e s s i t y be l e f t a l m o s t t o t a l l y t o t h e 
d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e t r i a l j u d g e . 
T h a t d i s c r e t i o n s h o u l d n o t be 
o v e r t u r n e d 
e x c e p t i n c a s e s o f c l e a r and f l a g r a n t 
a b u s e . " ' " 
( q u o t i n g 
R i c h a r d s o n v . 
S t a t e , 
603 So. 2d 1132, 1134 ( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 1 9 9 2 ) , q u o t i n g i n t u r n C l a r e v . S t a t e , 456 So. 2d 
355, 
356 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 
1 9 8 3 ) , 
a f f i r m e d , 
456 So. 2d 357 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 4 ) ) ) . 
10 
1090393 
As 
t o 
t h e 
$ 2 0 , 6 1 6 . 3 6 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
o r d e r e d 
i n 
r e s t i t u t i o n f o r t h e hammer a t t a c h m e n t , Bussman t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
when 
t h e 
a t t a c h m e n t 
was 
r e t u r n e d 
t o 
h i m 
i t was 
u n u s a b l e 
b e c a u s e , he s a i d , i t h a d b e e n s t o r e d on i t s s i d e w h i l e i t was 
i n 
T h e o d o r o u ' s 
p o s s e s s i o n . 
T h e o d o r o u 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
a t t a c h m e n t w o r k e d 
p r o p e r l y when he o b t a i n e d 
t h e e q u i p m e n t 
i n 
J a n u a r y 2005, and he 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t he s t o r e d t h e 
a t t a c h m e n t 
i n an u p r i g h t 
p o s i t i o n . 
However, Bussman t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
a t t a c h m e n t 
was 
l y i n g 
on 
i t s s i d e when 
i t was 
l o c a t e d 
a t 
T h e o d o r o u ' s 
r e s i d e n c e . 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o Bussman, i f t h e hammer 
a t t a c h m e n t was 
n o t s t o r e d i n an u p r i g h t 
p o s i t i o n , 
t h e w e i g h t 
o f t h e 3 0 0 - t o 4 0 0 - p o u n d s t e e l r o d i n s i d e t h e a t t a c h m e n t 
w o u l d 
warp t h e a t t a c h m e n t 
and make i t u n s a f e t o o p e r a t e . 
Bussman 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
h a v i n g 
t h e hammer 
a t t a c h m e n t 
i n s p e c t e d 
t o 
d e t e r m i n e t h e e x t e n t o f t h e damage c a u s e d by s t o r i n g i t on i t s 
s i d e w o u l d have i n v o l v e d " t e a r [ i n g ] i t a l l 
t h e way b a c k down 
t o t h e b a r e 
s t e e l and 
b u i l d [ i n g ] i t b a c k up," 
w h i c h Bussman 
s u g g e s t e d was 
c o s t - p r o h i b i t i v e . 
I n l i g h t o f t h a t 
t e s t i m o n y , 
t h e r e 
was 
s u f f i c i e n t 
e v i d e n c e 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
t h e hammer 
a t t a c h m e n t was damaged a f t e r T h e o d o r o u 
r e c e i v e d i t , and 
t h e r e 
c o n s e q u e n t l y 
was 
s u f f i c i e n t 
e v i d e n c e 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
11 
1090393 
T h e o d o r o u ' s 
c r i m i n a l c o n d u c t p r o x i m a t e l y c a u s e d t h e damage t o 
t h e hammer a t t a c h m e n t . 
R e e v e s , 
24 
So. 
3d a t 554 
("'[O]nce 
p r o p e r t y i s i l l e g a l l y r e m o v e d f r o m t h e c u s t o d y o f i t s 
owner i t 
i s 
r e a s o n a b l y 
f o r e s e e a b l e 
t h a t 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
may 
s u f f e r 
damage.'" 
( q u o t i n g S t a t e v. L a c e y , 
(Ms. 2006-CA-115, Nov. 
7, 
2007) 
( O h i o 
C t . 
App. 
2007) 
( n o t 
p u b l i s h e d 
i n 
N . E . 2 d ) ) . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
T h e o d o r o u 
has n o t d e m o n s t r a t e d 
t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
a w a r d 
o f $ 2 0 , 6 1 6 . 3 6 
i n r e s t i t u t i o n 
f o r t h e hammer 
a t t a c h m e n t e x c e e d e d t h e w i d e d i s c r e t i o n t h e t r i a l c o u r t h a d t o 
make t h a t d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 
See Howard, s u p r a . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , 
t h a t p a r t o f t h e r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r i s due t o be 
a f f i r m e d . 
The 
r e m a i n i n g 
$ 1 2 , 8 0 1 . 5 8 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
o r d e r e d 
as 
r e s t i t u t i o n - - $ 1 , 6 1 2 . 5 0 f o r t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e c o s t o f t h e 
b a c k h o e 
and t h e i n s u r a n c e p r o c e e d s r e c e i v e d f o r t h e 
b a c k h o e , 
$6,616.58 
f o r 
l o s t 
r e v e n u e , 
and $ 4 , 5 7 2 . 5 0 
f o r 
r e p l a c e m e n t 
l o s s - - r e p r e s e n t s damage Bussman C o n s t r u c t i o n 
s u f f e r e d 
a f t e r 
t h e 
t h e f t 
i n 
S e p t e m b e r 
2004 
b u t 
b e f o r e , 
a c c o r d i n g 
t o 
T h e o d o r o u , 
he 
r e c e i v e d t h e s t o l e n p r o p e r t y 
i n J a n u a r y 2005. 
T h e o d o r o u 
a r g u e s 
t h a t e a c h o f t h e s e amounts was 
p r o x i m a t e l y 
c a u s e d by t h e t h e f t o f t h e p r o p e r t y r a t h e r t h a n by h i s r e c e i p t 
12 
1090393 
o f t h e s t o l e n p r o p e r t y .
4 
The 
S t a t e r e s p o n d s t o t h i s 
p o s i t i o n , h o w e v e r , by 
m a k i n g 
t h e f o l l o w i n g a r g u m e n t : 
"A 
p e r s o n 
who 
k n o w i n g l y 
p u r c h a s e s 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y 
i s a p a r t o f t h e 
c h a i n o f 
a c t i v i t i e s 
t h a t 
 
l e d 
t o 
t h e 
t h e f t 
o f 
p r o p e r t y 
b e c a u s e , 
a b s e n t 
a 
 
w i l l i n g b u y e r o f s u c h s t o l e n p r o p e r t y , 
t h e 
t h e f t 
o f  
t h e p r o p e r t y m i g h t n o t h a v e o c c u r r e d . 
A p e r s o n 
who 
r e c e i v e s 
t h e 
s t o l e n p r o p e r t y 
c a n 
f o r e s e e 
t h a t 
t h e 
p e r s o n f r o m whom t h e p r o p e r t y was 
s t o l e n w i l l 
i n c u r 
a f i n a n c i a l l o s s , i n c l u d i n g t h e n e c e s s i t y t o r e p l a c e 
t h e e q u i p m e n t and 
l o s s o f t h e u s e 
o f t h e e q u i p m e n t . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , 
i t i s p r o p e r 
t o h o l d t h e b u y e r o f 
t h e 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y 
j o i n t l y 
o r 
s e v e r a l l y 
r e s p o n s i b l e 
 
w i t h 
t h e 
t h i e f 
f o r 
t h e 
l o s s 
t o 
t h e 
v i c t i m , 
e v e n 
 
t h o u g h t h e l o s s may h a v e o c c u r r e d b e f o r e he 
r e c e i v e d  
t h e s t o l e n p r o p e r t y . " 
( E m p h a s i s added.) 
I n r e p l y , T h e o d o r o u s t a t e s t h a t 
he 
" a g r e e s 
t h a t 
i t i s t h e o r e t i c a l l y 
p o s s i b l e f o r 
t h e 
t h e f t o f p r o p e r t y and 
t h e s u b s e q u e n t r e c e i p t o f 
t h e 
s t o l e n p r o p e r t y t o j o i n t l y o r s e v e r a l l y 
p r o x i m a t e l y 
c a u s e 
i n j u r y 
t o a v i c t i m 
o f s u c h c r i m i n a l 
c o n d u c t . 
L i k e w i s e , 
T h e o d o r o u 
a g r e e s 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
may 
be 
c o n c u r r e n t 
o r m u l t i p l e p r o x i m a t e 
c a u s e s f r o m w h i c h 
damages 
f l o w . However, T h e o d o r o u a r g u e s 
t h a t 
t h i s 
mere t h e o r e t i c a l 
p o s s i b i l i t y a l o n e 
i s n o t enough t o 
a w a r d damages. T h e r e 
s t i l l must e x i s t some s o r t 
o f 
c a u s a l 
c o n n e c t i o n 
b e t w e e n t h e 
c r i m i n a l c o n d u c t 
and 
t h e 
a c t u a l damages. 
... 
I n t h e 
i n s t a n t c a s e , 
t h e r e 
i s no s u c h c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e a c t u a l damages 
and 
T h e o d o r o u ' s r e c e i p t o f t h e s t o l e n p r o p e r t y . " 
I n Commonwealth v. 
K e l l y , 
836 
A.2d 
931 
(Pa. S u p e r . 
C t . 
4 T h e d i s s e n t i n g o p i n i o n s b y J u d g e W i s e a n d J u d g e W e l c h t o 
t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s ' 
u n p u b l i s h e d memorandum 
e x p r e s s 
a s i m i l a r v i e w . 
So. 
3d a t 
, 
. 
13 
1090393 
2 0 0 3 ) , t h e P e n n s y l v a n i a S u p e r i o r C o u r t c o n s i d e r e d a " m a r k e t " 
t h e o r y o f c a u s a t i o n s i m i l a r t o t h a t a d v a n c e d by t h e S t a t e i n 
t h i s c a s e . 
I n K e l l y , t h e d e f e n d a n t h a d e n t e r e d a p l e a o f n o l o 
c o n t e n d e r e 
t o t h r e e 
c o u n t s 
o f 
r e c e i v i n g 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y ; 
s p e c i f i c a l l y , t h e d e f e n d a n t h a d r e c e i v e d a c o m p a c t - d i s c p l a y e r 
and two c e l l u l a r t e l e p h o n e s t h a t h a d b e e n s t o l e n f r o m a t r u c k . 
836 
A.2d a t 932. 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
o r d e r e d 
K e l l y 
t o p a y 
$ 2 , 2 6 9 . 8 0 i n r e s t i t u t i o n as a c o n d i t i o n o f h i s 
p r o b a t i o n . Of 
t h a t amount, $ 1 , 9 3 8 . 4 1 was f o r 
r e p a i r s t o t h e t r u c k f o r 
damage 
t h a t 
o c c u r r e d when t h e i t e m s were 
s t o l e n . 
On a p p e a l , t h e 
d e f e n d a n t " c l a i m [ e d ] t h a t i t 
was i m p r o p e r t o o r d e r 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
f o r damage t o a t r u c k 
t h a t was b r o k e n 
i n t o when a l l 
he was 
c o n v i c t e d o f was r e c e i v i n g s t o l e n p r o p e r t y o f i t e m s t a k e n f r o m 
i n s i d e t h e t r u c k and t h e r e was no e v i d e n c e t h a t he was t h e one 
who b r o k e i n t o t h e t r u c k . " 
836 A.2d a t 932. The P e n n s y l v a n i a 
S u p e r i o r 
C o u r t 
r e j e c t e d t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s 
a r g u m e n t , 
h o w e v e r . 
The c o u r t r e a s o n e d : 
" W h i l e 
t h e r e p a i r 
o f t h e t r u c k 
i s n o t 
d i r e c t l y 
c o n n e c t e d t o t h e c r i m e o f r e c e i v i n g s t o l e n p r o p e r t y , 
i t 
i s 
i n d i r e c t l y 
c o n n e c t e d 
t o 
t h e 
c r i m e 
o f 
[ r e c e i v i n g 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y ] . 
E v e n 
i f [ t h e 
d e f e n d a n t ] d i d 
n o t a c t u a l l y b r e a k i n t o t h e t r u c k , he 
p r o v i d e d a m a r k e t f o r 
t h e p e r s o n o r p e r s o n s who 
d i d . 
14 
1090393 
836 
A.2d a t 932. 
I n 
c o n c l u d i n g 
i t s o p i n i o n , 
t h e 
c o u r t 
r e i t e r a t e d 
t h a t 
r a t i o n a l e , 
n o t i n g : 
" [ T ] h e v e r d i c t means [ t h e d e f e n d a n t ] was 
c o n v i c t e d 
o f b u y i n g t h e g o o d s , and he e i t h e r knew t h e y w e r e 
s t o l e n 
o r r e a s o n a b l y 
s h o u l d 
have known t h e y 
w e r e 
s t o l e n . 
We 
n o t e 
t h a t [ t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ] 
r e a s o n e d 
t h a t ' i f t h o s e p e o p l e a r e n ' t o u t t h e r e b u y i n g 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y , 
p e o p l e a r e n ' t 
b r e a k i n g 
i n 
( I d . ) I n 
o t h e r w o r d s , [ t h e d e f e n d a n t ] p r o v i d e d 
a m a r k e t f o r 
t h a t 
p e r s o n who i s c r i m i n a l l y r e s p o n s i b l e 
f o r 
t h e 
b r e a k - i n and damage t o t h e t r u c k . 
W h i l e t h i s w o u l d 
n o t be enough t o be c o n s i d e r e d 
a ' d i r e c t ' 
r e s u l t o f 
t h e 
c r i m i n a l a c t i v i t y , we do a g r e e w i t h [ t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ] 
t h a t 
t h i s 
c a n be 
c o n s i d e r e d 
' i n d i r e c t l y ' 
c o n n e c t e d t o t h e c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t y . " 
832 A . 2 d a t 934. 
I n K e l l y , i t 
was c r u c i a l t h a t t h e r e s t i t u t i o n f o r damage 
t o t h e t r u c k was i m p o s e d as a c o n d i t i o n o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s 
p r o b a t i o n 
r a t h e r t h a n as a p a r t o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s 
s e n t e n c e . 
I f 
t h e 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
h a d b e e n 
i m p o s e d 
as 
a 
p a r t 
o f t h e 
d e f e n d a n t ' s 
s e n t e n c e , 
t h e 
a p p l i c a b l e 
s t a t u t e 
w o u l d 
h a v e 
r e q u i r e d a " d i r e c t c a u s a l 
c o n n e c t i o n " 
b e t w e e n t h e r e c e i p t o f 
t h e s t o l e n p r o p e r t y and t h e damage t o t h e t r u c k .
5 
836 A . 2 d a t 
5 S e e 18 P a . C o n s . S t a t . § 1 1 0 6 ( a ) ("Upon c o n v i c t i o n f o r 
any 
c r i m e 
w h e r e i n 
p r o p e r t y 
h a s b e e n 
s t o l e n , 
c o n v e r t e d o r 
o t h e r w i s e 
u n l a w f u l l y 
o b t a i n e d , 
o r i t s v a l u e 
s u b s t a n t i a l l y 
d e c r e a s e d as a d i r e c t r e s u l t o f t h e c r i m e , o r w h e r e i n t h e 
v i c t i m 
s u f f e r e d p e r s o n a l 
i n j u r y d i r e c t l y 
r e s u l t i n g f r o m t h e  
c r i m e , t h e o f f e n d e r 
s h a l l be s e n t e n c e d t o make r e s t i t u t i o n i n 
a d d i t i o n t o t h e p u n i s h m e n t 
p r e s c r i b e d 
t h e r e f o r . " 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) ) . 
15 
1090393 
933. 
However, 
b e c a u s e 
t h e 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
was 
i m p o s e d 
as 
a 
c o n d i t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t ' s p r o b a t i o n , 
a d i f f e r e n t s t a t u t e 
c o n t r o l l e d ; u n d e r t h a t s t a t u t e " t h e r e q u i r e d n e x u s b e t w e e n t h e 
damage 
and 
t h e 
o f f e n s e 
i s 
r e l a x e d , 
and 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o n l y 
r e q u i r e [ d ] some c o n n e c t i o n 
t o c r i m i n a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y 
...."
6 
836 
A.2d 
a t 
932. 
L i k e 
t h e 
P e n n s y l v a n i a 
s t a t u t e 
i n 
K e l l y 
a p p l i c a b l e 
t o 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r e d 
as 
a 
c o n d i t i o n 
o f 
p r o b a t i o n , 
A l a b a m a ' s 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
scheme 
i n c o r p o r a t e s 
a 
" r e l a x e d " 
s t a n d a r d 
o f 
" i n d i r e c t " 
c a u s a t i o n 
f o r 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
w h e t h e r 
a 
d e f e n d a n t ' s 
c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t y 
has 
c a u s e d 
a v i c t i m p a r t i c u l a r 
p e c u n i a r y 
damage. 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
§ 1 5 - 1 8 - 6 6 ( 4 ) , A l a . Code 1975, 
d e f i n e s 
" v i c t i m " 
as 
" [ a ] n y 
p e r s o n whom 
t h e 
c o u r t 
d e t e r m i n e s 
has 
s u f f e r e d a d i r e c t o r i n d i r e c t p e c u n i a r y damage as a r e s u l t o f 
6 S e e 18 Pa. C o n s . S t a t . § 1 1 0 6 ( b ) ("Whenever 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
has b e e n o r d e r e d 
p u r s u a n t t o s u b s e c t i o n 
(a) a n d 
t h e 
o f f e n d e r 
has 
b e e n p l a c e d 
on 
p r o b a t i o n 
o r p a r o l e , 
h i s c o m p l i a n c e 
w i t h 
s u c h 
o r d e r 
may 
be 
made 
a 
c o n d i t i o n 
o f 
s u c h 
p r o b a t i o n 
o r 
p a r o l e . " ) ; 
42 
Pa. C o n s . S t a t . § 9 7 5 4 ( c ) 
("The 
c o u r t may 
as 
a 
c o n d i t i o n o f i t s o r d e r r e q u i r e t h e d e f e n d a n t : .... 
(8) To make 
r e s t i t u t i o n o f t h e 
f r u i t s o f h i s c r i m e o r t o make r e p a r a t i o n s , 
i n 
an amount he 
c a n 
a f f o r d t o p a y , 
f o r t h e 
l o s s 
o r damage 
c a u s e d 
t h e r e b y . " ) . 
See 
a l s o Commonwealth v. 
H a r r i o t t , 
919 
A.2d 
234, 
239 
( P a . S u p e r . C t . 2007) 
( d i s c u s s i n g 42 
Pa. 
C o n s . 
S t a t . 
§ 9 7 5 4 ( c ) ( 8 ) 
a n d 
n o t i n g 
t h a t 
i t " r e f e r e n c e [ s ] l o s s 
o r 
damage ' c a u s e d ' b y t h e c r i m e b u t [ i t ] 
d o [ e s ] n o t d i c t a t e t h a t 
t h e 
r e s t i t u t i o n be 
a d i r e c t r e s u l t o f t h e 
o f f e n s e " ) . 
16 
1090393 
t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s c r i m i n a l a c t i v i t i e s " 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
T h u s , 
a l t h o u g h 
T h e o d o r o u ' s 
r e c e i p t 
o f 
t h e 
s t o l e n 
e q u i p m e n t may n o t h a v e 
d i r e c t l y 
c a u s e d t h e damage h e r e , we 
a g r e e 
w i t h 
t h e S t a t e ' s 
a r g u m e n t 
t h a t 
T h e o d o r o u ' s 
c r i m i n a l 
c o n d u c t was an i n d i r e c t c a u s e o f t h a t damage; b y 
p u r c h a s i n g 
t h e p r o p e r t y 
t h a t he knew was s t o l e n , T h e o d o r o u 
i n t e n t i o n a l l y 
p l a c e d 
h i m s e l f i n t h e c h a i n o f a c t i v i t i e s 
t h a t 
i n c l u d e d t h e 
t h e f t 
o f t h e s p e c i f i c 
p r o p e r t y 
and c a u s e d 
t h e a d d i t i o n a l 
$12,801.58 i n damages he was o r d e r e d 
t o p a y as 
r e s t i t u t i o n . 
See 
a l s o 
S t r o u g h , 501 So. 2d a t 491 ("Where an 
i n j u r y i s 
c a u s e d by i n t e n t i o n a l c o n d u c t , t h e r u l e s o f p r o x i m a t e 
c a u s e 
a r e more l i b e r a l l y a p p l i e d . " ) . 
A l l t h e damages T h e o d o r o u was 
o r d e r e d 
t o p a y as r e s t i t u t i o n were 
r e l a t e d t o t h e 
s p e c i f i c 
p r o p e r t y he r e c e i v e d .
7 
M o r e o v e r , t h e a u t h o r i t i e s above make 
7 C f . Chapman v. S t a t e , 733 So. 2d 1055 
( F l a . D i s t . C t . 
App. 
1 9 9 9 ) , a c a s e i n w h i c h t h e d e f e n d a n t , who was o r d e r e d t o 
p a y 
r e s t i t u t i o n f o r 
c e r t a i n s t o l e n i t e m s s h e h a d r e c e i v e d , was 
a l s o o r d e r e d t o p a y r e s t i t u t i o n f o r 
damage t o i t e m s t h a t w e r e 
s t o l e n 
a t t h e same 
t i m e 
b u t t h a t 
t h e d e f e n d a n t 
h a d n o t 
a c t u a l l y 
r e c e i v e d . 
The s t a t u t e a t i s s u e i n Chapman, 
F l a . 
S t a t . § 7 7 5 . 0 8 9 ( 1 ) ( a ) , a u t h o r i z e d 
" r e s t i t u t i o n f o r 
damage o r 
l o s s 
c a u s e d 
' d i r e c t l y 
o r 
i n d i r e c t l y ' 
b y t h e 
d e f e n d a n t . " 
B o g e r t v . S t a t e , 834 So. 2 d 3 9 2 , 394 
( F l a . D i s t . C t . App. 
2003) 
( q u o t i n g 
F l a . S t a t . 
§ 
7 7 5 . 0 8 9 ( 1 ) ( a ) ) . 
U n d e r 
t h a t 
s t a t u t e , 
F l o r i d a 
c o u r t s 
"have 
... 
h e l d 
t h a t 
a 
d e f e n d a n t 
r e c e i v i n g 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y 
a n d p a w n i n g 
i t i s 
s u f f i c i e n t l y 
' r e l a t e d ' 
t o t h e v i c t i m ' s 
l o s s 
t o 
j u s t i f y 
r e s t i t u t i o n . " 
17 
1090393 
i t 
c l e a r t h a t t h e p u r p o s e o f t h e A c t i s " t o f u l l y 
c o m p e n s a t e 
v i c t i m s o f c r i m e f o r 'any p e c u n i a r y 
l o s s , damage o r 
i n j u r y ' 
s u f f e r e d as a d i r e c t o r i n d i r e c t 
r e s u l t o f a c r i m i n a l a c t . " 
R o b e r t s , 
863 So. 2d a t 1153. 
A c c o r d i n g l y , we a g r e e w i t h t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s ' c o n c l u s i o n t h a t T h e o d o r o u ' s r e c e i p t 
o f t h e s t o l e n p r o p e r t y 
c a u s e d t h e damage f o r 
w h i c h t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t a w a r d e d Bussman C o n s t r u c t i o n 
r e s t i t u t i o n .
8 
F i n a l l y , 
T h e o d o r o u 
a r g u e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
amount 
o f t h e 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r 
i s " p u n i t i v e i n n a t u r e . " 
The C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s c o n c l u d e d t h a t T h e o d o r o u ' s a r g u m e n t s i n t h i s 
B o g e r t , 834 So. 2 d a t 394. 
The Chapman c o u r t r e v e r s e d t h e o r d e r o f r e s t i t u t i o n as t o 
t h e 
s t o l e n 
i t e m s 
t h a t 
t h e d e f e n d a n t d i d n o t " a c t u a l l y o r 
c o n s t r u c t i v e l y 
p o s s e s s [ ] . " 
733 So. 2d a t 1056. 
Chapman 
i l l u s t r a t e s t h a t e v e n t h e 
more r e l a x e d , " i n d i r e c t " s t a n d a r d o f 
c a u s a t i o n i s n o t w i t h o u t 
l i m i t s . 
The p r e s e n t 
c a s e d o e s n o t 
i n v o l v e t h e c o n c e r n s a t i s s u e i n Chapman, h o w e v e r , 
b e c a u s e 
T h e o d o r o u was 
o r d e r e d 
t o p a y 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o n l y 
f o r damage 
r e l a t e d t o t h e s p e c i f i c 
s t o l e n p r o p e r t y 
t h a t he 
r e c e i v e d . 
8 T h e o d o r o u 
p o i n t s 
o u t 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
o r d e r 
m i s t a k e n l y 
a s s e r t s 
t h a t 
he 
p l e a d e d 
g u i l t y 
t o 
" t h e f t o f 
p r o p e r t y " r a t h e r t h a n t o r e c e i v i n g s t o l e n p r o p e r t y . 
The C o u r t 
o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h a t m i s t a k e was t h e r e s u l t 
o f a c l e r i c a l e r r o r . 
Our c o n c l u s i o n t h a t T h e o d o r o u ' s r e c e i p t 
o f t h e s t o l e n p r o p e r t y 
c a u s e d t h e damage a t i s s u e 
p r e t e r m i t s 
any n e e d t o c o n s i d e r w h e t h e r t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t , i n r e f e r e n c i n g 
a 
p l e a 
t o " t h e f t o f p r o p e r t y , " 
e r r o n e o u s l y 
a t t r i b u t e d t o 
T h e o d o r o u damage t h a t was c a u s e d s o l e l y b y t h e t h e f t o f t h e 
p r o p e r t y a n d n o t b y h i s r e c e i p t o f t h e s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y . 
18 
1090393 
r e g a r d 
do n o t c o m p l y w i t h 
R u l e 
2 8 ( a ) ( 1 0 ) , 
A l a . R. App. 
P., 
b e c a u s e T h e o d o r o u 
f a i l e d t o i n c l u d e 
s u f f i c i e n t 
" c i t a t i o n s 
t o 
t h e 
c a s e s , 
s t a t u t e s , 
[and] o t h e r 
a u t h o r i t i e s " t o s u p p o r t h i s 
c o n t e n t i o n 
t h a t 
t h e 
amount 
o f 
o r d e r e d 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
was 
e x c e s s i v e . 
As i n h i s b r i e f t o t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s , 
t h e 
o n l y 
c i t a t i o n s 
t o a u t h o r i t y 
i n c l u d e d 
i n t h i s 
s e c t i o n o f 
T h e o d o r o u ' s 
b r i e f 
t o 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
a r e 
c i t a t i o n s 
t o 
g e n e r a l 
p r o p o s i t i o n s 
o f 
l a w 
t h a t 
do 
n o t 
s u p p o r t 
h i s 
s p e c i f i c 
a r g u m e n t s . 
As t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
n o t e d : 
" T h e o d o r o u 
does 
n o t 
c i t e 
any 
a u t h o r i t y 
f o r h i s 
p r o p o s i t i o n 
t h a t t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
i s b o u n d by t h e 
f a i r m a r k e t v a l u e o f t h e p r o p e r t y 
s t o l e n and may n o t 
c o n s i d e r 
o t h e r 
f a c t o r s . 
C o n t r a S t a t e v. 
E l l i s , 
838 
P.2d 1310, 1312 
( A r i z . C t . App. 1992) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
w h i l e 
f a i r 
m a r k e t 
v a l u e 
i s g e n e r a l l y 
t h e 
p r o p e r 
m e a s u r e o f a v i c t i m ' s l o s s , 
f a i r m a r k e t v a l u e i s n o t 
a l w a y s 
t h e 
a p p r o p r i a t e 
s t a n d a r d , 
and 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f o t h e r 
f a c t o r s i s w i t h i n i t s 
b r o a d d i s c r e t i o n ) . 
T h e o d o r o u a l s o has n o t c i t e d any 
a u t h o r i t y f o r h i s p r o p o s i t i o n t h a t t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
may 
n o t 
o r d e r 
h i m 
t o 
p a y 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
above 
t h e 
a c t u a l 
m o n e t a r y 
v a l u e 
o f 
t h e 
s t o l e n 
e q u i p m e n t . 
C o n t r a Ex p a r t e 
F l e t c h e r , 849 So. 2d 900, 909 ( A l a . 
2001) 
( h o l d i n g t h a t t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t may, 
as 
p a r t 
o f i t s r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r , 
r e q u i r e t h e d e f e n d a n t t o 
p a y 
i n t e r e s t ) . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , 
T h e o d o r o u 
h a s 
n o t 
c o m p l i e d w i t h R u l e 2 8 ( a ) ( 1 0 ) , 
[ A l a . 
R. App. P.,] 
a n d 
h i s a r g u m e n t s a r e n o t p r o p e r l y b e f o r e 
t h i s 
c o u r t . " 
T h e o d o r o u does n o t a d d r e s s t h e a u t h o r i t i e s r e l i e d upon by t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s , n o r has he d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t t h e 
19 
1090393 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
o t h e r w i s e e r r e d i n a f f i r m i n g t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
o r d e r . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e j u d g m e n t 
o f t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s i s due t o be 
a f f i r m e d . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
The 
j u d g m e n t 
o f 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
i s 
a f f i r m e d . 
AFFIRMED. 
W o o d a l l , 
S t u a r t , 
B o l i n , and P a r k e r , 
J J . , c o n c u r . 
Cobb, C . J . , and L y o n s and M u r d o c k , J J . , c o n c u r i n p a r t 
and d i s s e n t i n p a r t . 
Shaw, J . , r e c u s e s 
h i m s e l f . * 
* J u s t i c e 
Shaw was a member 
o f t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s when t h i s c a s e was b e f o r e t h a t 
c o u r t . 
20 
1090393 
LYONS, J u s t i c e 
( c o n c u r r i n g i n p a r t and d i s s e n t i n g i n p a r t ) . 
The s t a t u t o r y b a s i s f o r 
t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s o r d e r r e q u i r i n g 
r e s t i t u t i o n p r o v i d e s , i n p e r t i n e n t p a r t , 
" [ A ] l l 
p e r p e t r a t o r s 
o f c r i m i n a l a c t i v i t y o r c o n d u c t 
[ s h a l l ] be r e q u i r e d t o 
f u l l y 
c o m p e n s a t e a l l v i c t i m s o f s u c h c o n d u c t o r a c t i v i t y f o r a n y 
p e c u n i a r y 
l o s s , 
damage o r i n j u r y 
as a d i r e c t o r 
i n d i r e c t 
r e s u l t t h e r e o f . " § 1 5 - 1 8 - 6 5 , A l a . Code 1975 ( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . 
S e c t i o n 
1 5 - 1 8 - 6 6 ( 4 ) , 
A l a . Code 1975, d e f i n e s 
" v i c t i m " as 
" [ a ] n y p e r s o n whom t h e c o u r t d e t e r m i n e s h a s s u f f e r e d a d i r e c t  
o r 
i n d i r e c t 
p e c u n i a r y 
damage as a r e s u l t o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s 
c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t i e s . " 
( E m p h a s i s added.) 
I c o n c u r i n t h e m a i n o p i n i o n i n a l l r e s p e c t s 
e x c e p t 
i t s 
a f f i r m a n c e 
o f t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s ' j u d g m e n t as t o 
t h e p r o p r i e t y o f a l l o w i n g r e s t i t u t i o n f o r 
damage s u s t a i n e d b y 
t h e v i c t i m , Bussman C o n s t r u c t i o n Company, a f t e r t h e t h e f t b u t 
b e f o r e Jerome T h e o d o r o u ' s r e c e i p t o f t h e s t o l e n p r o p e r t y . 
The 
m a i n o p i n i o n u p h o l d s t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
a w a r d o f 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
f o r 
s u c h 
damage 
b y 
a s c r i b i n g 
t o t h e w o r d 
" i n d i r e c t " 
a 
c o n n o t a t i o n 
t h a t 
p e r m i t s 
r e l a x a t i o n o f t h e r e q u i r e m e n t o f 
c a u s a t i o n 
so 
as 
t o 
d i s r e g a r d 
c o m p l e t e l y 
t h e 
s t a t u t o r y 
r e q u i r e m e n t 
t h a t 
t h e 
l o s s 
be 
c a u s e d 
b y 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t ' s 
21 
1090393 
c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t y . 
The 
f l a w i n t h a t a n a l y s i s 
l i e s 
i n 
f a i l i n g 
t o 
c o n f i n e 
t h e 
d i c h o t o m y b e t w e e n 
d i r e c t 
and 
i n d i r e c t 
t o 
an 
a n a l y s i s 
o f r e c o v e r a b l e damages, as o p p o s e d t o 
p r i n c i p l e s 
o f 
c a u s a t i o n . 
B l a c k ' s 
Law 
D i c t i o n a r y 
d e f i n e s 
" c o n s e q u e n t i a l 
l o s s " 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
"A 
l o s s 
a r i s i n g 
f r o m 
t h e 
r e s u l t s 
o f damage 
r a t h e r  
t h a n f r o m 
t h e damage 
i t s e l f . 
A c o n s e q u e n t i a l 
l o s s 
i s p r o x i m a t e when t h e 
n a t u r a l and 
p r o b a b l e e f f e c t 
o f 
t h e w r o n g f u l c o n d u c t , u n d e r t h e 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s , i s 
t o 
s e t 
i n 
o p e r a t i o n 
t h e 
i n t e r v e n i n g 
c a u s e 
f r o m 
w h i c h 
t h e 
l o s s 
d i r e c t l y r e s u l t s . When t h e 
l o s s 
i s n o t 
t h e 
n a t u r a l and 
p r o b a b l e e f f e c t 
o f t h e w r o n g f u l c o n d u c t , 
t h e 
l o s s 
i s r e m o t e . 
— 
A l s o 
t e r m e d 
i n d i r e c t 
l o s s ; 
c o n s e q u e n t i a l 
i n j u r y . 
C f . 
d i r e c t 
l o s s . " 
B l a c k ' s 
Law 
D i c t i o n a r y 
964 
( 8 t h 
ed. 
2 0 0 
4 ) ( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . 
The 
c o n t r a s t b e t w e e n d i r e c t 
and 
i n d i r e c t damage i s 
f r e q u e n t l y 
e n c o u n t e r e d 
i n 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
on 
l i a b i l i t y 
f o r 
a 
b r e a c h 
o f 
w a r r a n t y . 
See, 
e.g., 
L e o n a r d v. 
T e r m i n i x 
I n t ' l 
Co., 
854 
So. 
2d 
529, 
534-35 
( A l a . 2002) ("Thus, t h e 
a r b i t r a t i o n 
c l a u s e 
i s 
n o t 
u n c o n s c i o n a b l e 
s o l e l y b e c a u s e 
i t p u r p o r t s 
t o p r e c l u d e 
a 
remedy f o r 
' i n d i r e c t , s p e c i a l 
o r c o n s e q u e n t i a l damages o r 
l o s s 
o f 
a n t i c i p a t e d 
p r o f i t s . ' " 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) ) . 
A p p l y i n g 
t h e 
f o r e g o i n g 
r u l e 
t o 
t h i s c a s e , 
t h e damage 
t o 
t h e 
hammer a t t a c h m e n t 
t o 
t h e 
b a c k h o e w o u l d 
be 
d i r e c t ; 
any 
22 
1090393 
damages f o r l o s t p r o f i t s a f t e r t h e r e c e i p t b y T h e o d o r o u o f t h e 
s t o l e n 
p r o p e r t y 
r u n n i n g 
u n t i l 
t h e t i m e Bussman 
C o n s t r u c t i o n 
had b e e n made w h o l e w o u l d be "a l o s s a r i s i n g f r o m t h e r e s u l t s 
o f t h e damage" o r an i n d i r e c t l o s s . 
I n G r a c e v. S t a t e , 899 So. 2d 302, 308 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 
2 0 0 4 ) , 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s , 
d e a l i n g 
w i t h 
t h e 
s t a t u t o r y 
b a s i s 
f o r r e s t i t u t i o n 
i n c r i m i n a l 
c a s e s , 
a p t l y 
o b s e r v e d : 
" ' " ' [ I ] t 
i s w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t c r i m i n a l 
s t a t u t e s 
s h o u l d n o t be " e x t e n d e d b y c o n s t r u c t i o n . " ' 
Ex p a r t e  
E v e r s , 
434 
So. 
2d 
813, 
817 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 3 ) . 
' " [ C ] r i m i n a l s t a t u t e s must be s t r i c t l y c o n s t r u e d , t o 
a v o i d 
e n s n a r i n g 
b e h a v i o r 
t h a t 
i s 
n o t 
c l e a r l y 
p r o s c r i b e d . " ' 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
v . 
B r i d g e s , 
493 F.2d 
918, 
922 ( 5 t h C i r . 1 9 7 4 ) . " 
C a r r o l l 
[ v . S t a t e ] , 599 
So. 2d [1253,] 1264 
[ ( A l a . C r i m . App. 
1 9 9 2 ) ] . ' " 
( Q u o t i n g S t a t e v. B r o o k s , 701 So. 2d 56, 58 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 
1 9 9 6 ) . ) 
I b e l i e v e t h e m a i n 
o p i n i o n 
v i o l a t e s t h e f o r e g o i n g 
w e l l 
s e t t l e d 
p r i n c i p l e s . 
I w o u l d 
r e j e c t t h e e x p a n s i v e 
m a r k e t 
t h e o r y 
u r g e d 
b y t h e S t a t e , 
r e c o g n i z e d 
i n Commonwealth 
v .  
K e l l y , 836 A.2d 931 ( P a . S u p e r . C t . 2 0 0 3 ) , and e m b r a c e d b y t h e 
m a i n o p i n i o n . 
I w o u l d a d h e r e t o t h e v i e w e x p r e s s e d i n B.M.J.  
v. 
S t a t e , 
952 So. 2d 1174, 1176 ( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 200 6 ) , i n 
w h i c h t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s r e v e r s e d t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
23 
1090393 
r e s t i t u t i o n o r d e r r e q u i r i n g payment f o r r e p a i r s t o a g o - c a r t 
where t h e r e was no e v i d e n c e l i n k i n g t h e d e f e n d a n t c h a r g e d w i t h 
r e c e i v i n g s t o l e n p r o p e r t y t o t h e damaged c o n d i t i o n o f t h e 
go-
c a r t . 
The 
c o u r t i n B.M.J. 
s t a t e d : 
" [ I ] n 
B e s t 
v. 
S t a t e , 
895 
So. 
2d 
1050, 
1054 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 
2 0 0 4 ) , 
q u o t i n g Day 
v. 
S t a t e , 
557 
So. 
2d 
1318, 
1319 
( A l a . C r i m . App. 
1 9 8 9 ) , 
q u o t i n g i n t u r n 
S t r o u g h v. 
S t a t e , 
501 
So. 
2d 
488, 
4 
91 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1 9 8 6 ) , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
' " ' [ b ] e f o r e a  
d e f e n d a n t c a n be h e l d l i a b l e f o r damages, i t must be  
e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t h i s c r i m i n a l a c t was 
t h e 
p r o x i m a t e  
c a u s e o f t h e i n j u r y s u s t a i n e d ' " ' by t h e v i c t i m . 
See 
B u t l e r 
v. 
S t a t e , 
60 8 So. 
2d 
773, 
775 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
1992 
) ( q u o t i n g S t r o u g h , 
501 
So. 
2d 
a t 
491, 
q u o t i n g i n t u r n 
C i t y o f M o b i l e v. H a v a r d , 
289 A l a . 
532, 
538, 
268 
So. 
2d 
805, 
810 
( 1 9 7 2 ) ) 
('"'The 
p r o x i m a t e 
c a u s e 
o f an 
i n j u r y 
i s t h e p r i m a r y m o v i n g 
c a u s e w i t h o u t w h i c h i t w o u l d n o t h a v e o c c u r r e d , b u t 
w h i c h , 
i n 
t h e 
n a t u r a l 
and 
p r o b a b l e 
s e q u e n c e 
o f 
e v e n t s , p r o d u c e s 
t h e 
i n j u r y . ' " ' ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , u n d e r 
A l a b a m a ' s 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
s t a t u t e , 
t h e d e f e n d a n t 
c o u l d 
be o r d e r e d t o p a y 
r e s t i t u t i o n 
t o t h e v i c t i m o f h i s 
c r i m e o n l y i f one o f two c o n d i t i o n s e x i s t e d : 
(1) h i s 
v i c t i m s u f f e r e d d i r e c t o r i n d i r e c t p e c u n i a r y l o s s as  
a 
r e s u l t 
o f 
t h e 
c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t y 
o f 
w h i c h 
t h e 
 
d e f e n d a n t has b e e n c o n v i c t e d , o r 
(2) he a d m i t t e d t o 
o t h e r 
c r i m i n a l 
c o n d u c t 
d u r i n g t h e p r o c e e d i n g s 
t h a t 
was 
t h e p r o x i m a t e 
c a u s e 
o f t h e 
v i c t i m ' s 
p e c u n i a r y 
l o s s o r damages. 
" H e r e , t h e S t a t e and d e f e n s e c o u n s e l 
s t i p u l a t e d 
t o t h e a d m i s s i o n o f p o l i c e 
r e p o r t s t e n d i n g t o show 
t h a t B.M.J. was 
f o u n d t o be i n ' p o s s e s s i o n ' o f 
t h e 
g o - c a r t , 
w h i c h 
was 
l a t e r 
d i s c o v e r e d t o be 
s t o l e n . 
T h e r e was 
no e v i d e n c e p r e s e n t e d e i t h e r a t B.M.J.'s  
d e l i n q u e n c y h e a r i n g o r a t t h e 
r e s t i t u t i o n h e a r i n g ,  
t h a t h i s c r i m i n a l 
a c t i v i t y , 
i . e . , r e c e i v i n g 
s t o l e n 
 
p r o p e r t y , 
was 
t h e 
p r o x i m a t e 
c a u s e 
o f 
t h e 
damage, 
24 
1090393 
e i t h e r 
d i r e c t l y 
o r 
i n d i r e c t l y , 
t o 
t h e 
s t o l e n 
 
v e h i c l e . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
B.M.J. 
n e v e r 
a d m i t t e d 
t o 
h a v i n g 
c a u s e d any damage t o t h e v e h i c l e . " 
952 So. 2d a t 1175-76 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
I t h e r e f o r e 
r e s p e c t f u l l y d i s s e n t f r o m t h a t a s p e c t o f t h e 
m a i n o p i n i o n 
p e r m i t t i n g 
r e s t i t u t i o n f o r damage s u s t a i n e d by 
Bussman C o n s t r u c t i o n 
a f t e r t h e t h e f t b u t b e f o r e 
T h e o d o r o u ' s 
c r i m i n a l a c t i v i t y . 
Cobb, C . J . , and M u r d o c k , J . , c o n c u r . 
25