Case Name: Robert BEECH, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. D. J. MELANCON and P. J. Gallo, Defendants-Appellees
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1972-07-31
Citations: 465 F.2d 425
Docket Number: No. 72-1167
Parties: Robert BEECH, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. D. J. MELANCON and P. J. Gallo, Defendants-Appellees.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Reporter 2d Series
Volume: 465
Pages: 425–427

Head Matter:
Robert BEECH, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. D. J. MELANCON and P. J. Gallo, Defendants-Appellees.
No. 72-1167.
United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit.
July 31, 1972.
Drew S. Days, III, Jack Greenberg, New York City, Walter L. Bailey, Jr., of Ratner, Sugarmon & Lucas, Memphis, Tenn., for appellants.
Arthur J. Shea, James M. Maniré and Frierson M. Graves, Jr., Memphis, Tenn., for appellees.
Before EDWARDS, McCREE and KENT, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
This is an appeal from a judgment for the defendants in a civil rights action instituted by the plaintiff claiming damages resulting from having been shot by the defendant police officers while attempting to escape from the scene of a burglary. The plaintiff and one Cren-shaw were attempting to rob a safe in a gas station when the defendant police officers stopped their patrol car in front of the gas station. Plaintiff and Cren-shaw attempted to make an escape from the scene of the felonious activity.
The District Judge found that they were warned to halt and were informed that the defendants were police officers. When they did not halt the defendants fired, Crenshaw was killed and Beech was wounded.
The single issue here presented is whether the trial court was guilty of clear error in concluding that the defendants were justified in the use of deadly force to apprehend the plaintiff. A Tennessee Statute, T.C.A. § 40-808, authorizes a police officer under the circumstances set forth above to " use all the necessary means to effect the arrest." This Statute has been recently construed and found to be constitutional by a Three-Judge District Court. Cunningham v. Ellington, 323 F.Supp. 1072 (W.D.Tenn.1971). In any event the police officers were entitled to assume the constitutionality of the Tennessee Statute. "State statutes like federal ones are entitled to the presumption of constitutionality until their invalidity is judicially declared." Davies Warehouse Company v. Bowles, 321 U.S. 144, 153, 64 S.Ct. 474, 479, 88 L.Ed. 635 (1944), and see also McDonald v. Board of Election, 394 U.S. 802, 808, 809, 89 S.Ct. 1404, 22 L.Ed.2d 739 (1969); Davis v. Department of Labor, 317 U.S. 249, 257, 63 S.Ct. 225, 87 L.Ed. 246 (1942).
On this record the District Judge had evidence to justify his finding that the officers used only the "necessary means to effect the arrest." The plaintiff and his accomplice were engaged in a safe robbery and attempted to escape in the dark of night through weeds and bushes after being warned that police officers were present with guns. We cannot say that the District Judge was guilty of clear error.
The judgment is affirmed.