Opinion ID: 441858
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: False Arrest or Imprisonment

Text: 16 Duncan also argues that the District Court erred in submitting Instruction No. 18A because it gave Schaeffer a good faith defense to the Missouri false arrest count, a defense not recognized by Missouri courts. Instruction No. 18A stated: 17 [I]f the defendant Schaeffer reasonably believed that plaintiff had committed or was committing the crime for which he was charged and defendant Schaeffer acted in good faith on the basis of this belief, then his reasonable belief and good faith action would constitute a defense as to any count wherein defendant Schaeffer acted in good faith. 18 Designated Record at 56. 19 We agree with Duncan that the Missouri courts do not recognize a good faith defense to a claim for false arrest or imprisonment. A police officer may defend, however, by establishing that there were reasonable grounds or probable cause to believe that the person arrested had committed a crime. See, e.g., Bergel v. Kassebaum, 577 S.W.2d 863, 868-69 (Mo.Ct.App.1978). The instruction clearly required the jury to find that Schaeffer had a reasonable belief that a crime was being committed. Good faith was not offered as an alternative defense; it was interposed merely as an additional element on the probable cause determination. In these circumstances, giving this instruction was harmless error. 20 We have considered the other arguments raised by Duncan and find them to be without merit. Accordingly, the judgment of the District Court is affirmed.