Title: Potter v. City of Chattanooga

State: tennessee

Issuer: Tennessee Supreme Court

Document:

556 S.W.2d 543 (1977) Helen Marie POTTER, Appellant, v. CITY OF CHATTANOOGA, Appellee. Supreme Court of Tennessee. October 10, 1977. *544 John R. Meldorf, Chattanooga, for appellant. Eugene N. Collins, City Atty., Randall L. Nelson, Sp. Counsel, Chattanooga, for appellee. COOPER, Chief Justice. Helen Marie Potter filed a tort action in the Circuit Court of Hamilton County against the City of Chattanooga. On motion of the City, the trial judge dismissed the complaint, as amended, holding in effect that the allegations of the complaint fell within the exceptions to municipal liability as set forth in T.C.A. § 23-3311. Mrs. Potter appealed, questioning the validity of the trial judge's action. In the complaint as originally filed, appellant charged that: Subsequently, and in answer to the City's motion to dismiss, the complaint was amended to charge: T.C.A. § 23-3311 removes the immunity of governmental entities from suit for damages where an injury is proximately caused by a negligent act or omission of any employee within the scope of his employment except where the injury: *545 It is apparent from a reading of the complaint, as amended, that the true bases of the injuries for which recovery of damages is sought are false arrest and assault and battery. The amendment to the complaint, while levelling additional charges of negligence against the City, does not alter the fact that the injuries that are the subject of the action "arose out of" the battery and the false arrest, and was not effective to avoid the immunity granted the City under T.C.A. § 23-3311. See Salerno v. Racine, 62 Wis.2d 243, 214 N.W.2d 446 (1974); Little v. Schafer, 319 F. Supp. 190 (S.D.Tex. 1970). In Salerno v. Racine, supra, the court held that the plaintiff could not maintain an action against the city for assault and battery to recover damages for injuries allegedly caused by the use of excessive force by police in making an arrest where the Wisconsin statute immunized the city for intentional torts of its employees. The Wisconsin court further held there could be no recovery on the ground that the city was negligent in retaining a police officer on duty after he had demonstrated propensities to use excessive force since his discharge would have entailed quasi-judicial action which was also covered by the immunity statute. In Little v. Schafer, supra, the court was called upon to consider the effect of the Texas Tort Claims Act, which specifically excluded a municipality from liability as to "[a]ny claim arising out of assault, battery, false imprisonment, or any other intentional tort" as well as claims based on injury or death connected with any act or omission arising out of failure to provide, or method of providing police or fire protection. Under this grant of immunity, the court held that a university student had no cause of action against a municipality for injuries allegedly caused by the use of police nightsticks, despite a charge that the city was negligent in employing the police officers and in "[entrusting] to them [with their] nightsticks." The court pointed out: *546 The injuries for which recovery is sought in this case arose out of the false arrest and battery described in the complaint and are within the exceptions to municipal liability set forth in T.C.A. § 23-3311. It follows that the trial judge correctly dismissed the action against the City. Judgment affirmed. Costs incident to the appeal are adjudged against the appellant, Helen Marie Potter, and her surety. FONES, BROCK and HARBISON, JJ., concur. HENRY, J., dissent.