Case Name: Felicia Williams JOHNSON, et al. v. Revie Spears HITCHENS, et al.; Linda Marie HOLMES, et al. v. Revie Spears HITCHENS, et al.
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1987-12-30
Citations: 518 So. 2d 1154
Docket Number: Nos. CA-7361, CA-7362
Parties: Felicia Williams JOHNSON, et al. v. Revie Spears HITCHENS, et al. Linda Marie HOLMES, et al. v. Revie Spears HITCHENS, et al.
Judges: Before GULOTTA, C.J., and SCHOTT, BARRY, LOBRANO and WARD, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 518
Pages: 1154–1159

Head Matter:
Felicia Williams JOHNSON, et al. v. Revie Spears HITCHENS, et al. Linda Marie HOLMES, et al. v. Revie Spears HITCHENS, et al.
Nos. CA-7361, CA-7362.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.
Dec. 30, 1987.
Rehearings Denied Feb. 11, 1988.
John J. Hainkel, Jr., William Ryan Acomb, Porteous, Johnson, Hainkel & Sar-py, New Orleans, for defendant/appellee.
Cameron C. Gamble, Metairie, for plaintiff-appellant Felicia Williams Johnson.
Harry P. Gamble, New Orleans, La., for plaintiffs-appellants Linda Marie Holmes, et al.
Before GULOTTA, C.J., and SCHOTT, BARRY, LOBRANO and WARD, JJ.

Opinion:
LOBRANO, Judge.
In this suit to recover damages for the wrongful death of Clarence Johnson, Jr., plaintiffs, the alleged heirs of Johnson, appeal from a summary judgment dismissing their demand against Hitchens' homeowners insurer, Allstate Insurance Co. The issue on appeal is whether the trial court was correct in granting the insurer a summary judgment.
Plaintiffs allege that Johnson was an invitee in Hitchens' home on March 1,1984 to discuss the return of Johnson's rent deposit, that Hitchens threatened Johnson with a loaded gun; placed Johnson in a dangerous-situation which Hitchens knew to be dangerous or should have known to be dangerous and failed to warn Johnson of the danger to which he was exposed. Hitch-ens' answer denies all allegations of plaintiffs' petition specifically asserting that Johnson was not an invitee; that Johnson trespassed on Hitchens' property and refused to leave when asked to do so; that Johnson cursed and threatened Hitchens; that Johnson behaved in a loud, boisterous and threatening manner; that Johnson reached for a weapon and created a situation wherein any average reasonable person could have been fearful of their life, limb and property and would have acted in self defense.
Defendant, Allstate Insurance Co. filed a motion for summary judgment on the grounds that since Revie Hitchens shot Johnson, liability coverage under Hitchens' homeowners policy is not provided because of the "intentional act" exclusion which provides that the policy does not cover "bodily injury or property damage intentionally caused by an insured."
Plaintiffs argue that there exists an issue of material fact as to whether Hitch-ens' act was intentional. They further argue that even if the act is found to be intentional, Louisiana law excepts self defense from the "intentional act" exclusion.
Defendant argues there is no factual issue concerning whether the act was intentional. They also assert that self-defense is not an exception to the policy exclusion.
Because of our ruling on the first issue, it is not necessary to address the second.
A motion for summary judgment should be granted only if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories and admissions, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that mover is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. La.C.C.Pro. Art. 966. Allstate relies on plaintiffs' allegations that Hitchens shot Johnson and on the deposition testimony of Hitchens. In particular, they rely on the following portions:
"Mrs. Hitchens:
I just stole up and shot at him.
Q. When you pulled your gun, around, you pointed it at him?
Mrs. Hitchens:
Yeah, I pointed it at him. I just stole up and shot right at him....
Q. And so you intentionally shot your gun?
Mrs. Hitchens:
Right, I fired my gun....
Q. You intented to stop him?
Mrs. Hitchens:
I was intending to stop him from pulling his gun.
Q. And how were you going to stop him?
Mrs. Hitchens:
That the only way to stop him is to shoot him. If I hadn't, he would have shot us. He would have killed us."
Allstate asserts that the above testimony supports the conclusion that Hitchens' act was intentional.
An intentional injury has been defined by our Supreme Court as follows:
"An injury is intentional, i.e. the product of an intentional act, only when the person who acts either consciously desires the physical result of his act, whatever the likelihood of that result happening from his conduct; or knows that that result is substantially certain to follow from his conduct, whatever his desire may be as to the result." Pique v. Saia, 450 So.2d 654 (La.1984) at 655.
Clearly that definition requires the determination of subjective factors. Summary judgment is rarely appropriate for a determination based on subjective facts such as intent, motive, malice, knowledge or good faith. Langlois v. Eschet, 378 So.2d 189 (La.App. 4th Cir.1979), citing, Hall v. Management Recruiters of New Orleans, 332 So.2d 509 (La.App. 4th Cir.1976); Berger v. Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, 305 So.2d 724 (La.App. 4th Cir.1974); Johnson v. Fairmont Roosevelt Hotel, Inc., 286 So.2d 177 (La.App. 4th Cir.1973); Fontenot v. Aetna Insurance Company, 225 So.2d 648 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1969).
Allstate's argument is predicated on the admissions made by Hitchens in her deposition. A reading of the entire deposition indicates to this Court that a trial on the merits is necessary for a proper determination of the intent issue. For example, Hitchens was asked:
"Q. When you shot him where did you aim?
A. Well, I'm going to tell you, I really don't know. I just stole up and shot at him."

"Q. Okay. Were you aiming at his chest or his legs or what?
A. I'm going to be frank. I really don't know. All I was aiming at was him. That's all I was aiming at because I was scared."
Although we do not suggest that plaintiff should prevail in this litigation, we are of the opinion that the trial court should weigh all of the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident in determining intent. All but one case relied on by Allstate suggests this result since all involve judgments rendered after trial on the merits. This conclusion is consistent with the result we reached in Langlois v. Eschet, supra, wherein we stated:
"The word 'intended' is synonymous with having in mind as an end or aim, implying that the mind is directed to some definite accomplishment or end. A result which is intended reasonably means one which is planned, contemplated or studied. Therefore, under a reasonable construction of the policy language favorable to the insured the exclusion should be applied only when the insured had a reasonable opportunity for adequate reflection on the consequences before acting in the manner which caused the damages. Such a determination can hardly be made without a trial on the merits." (footnote omitted)

"For example, if the trial court concluded after trial that no danger existed and there was no basis for the insured to believe that it did, but that the insured in good faith believed a danger existed and acted accordingly, the insured might be said to have not intended the injury (and thus would not be liable for an intentional tort), but would be liable for negligent injury because of his unreasonable conduct under the circumstances, in which case the insurance policy might be held to provide coverage for his negligent act." Id. at 190-191.
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
SCHOTT, J., concurs with reasons.
BARRY, J., joins majority with additional reasons.
WARD, J., dissents with reasons.
BARRY, Judge,
joins the majority with additional reasons.
I read the "intentional" policy language to exclude a tortious act which is initiated by the insured, i.e., the initial affirmative act with premeditated specific intent to cause bodily harm.
Also, public policy should not eliminate a valid claim of self-defense, as under these facts.
Only if the insured is the culprit should coverage be excluded.
. Pique v. Saia, supra; Levesque v. Saba, 402 So.2d 266 (La.App. 4th Cir.1981); Walpole v. Weathersby, 465 So.2d 950 (La.App. 2nd Cir.1985); Fleming v. Aetna Casualty Insurance Co., 461 So.2d 614 (La.App. 1st Cir.1984) writ den. 464 So.2d 302; Coleman v. Moore, 426 So.2d 652 (La.App. 1st Cir.1982); Tobin v. Williams, 396 So.2d 562 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1981). But see, Lawrence v. Moore, 362 So.2d 803 (La.App. 4th Cir.1978).