Opinion ID: 1684618
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: facts

Text: ¶ 2. Clark testified in his deposition that he purchased a paintball gun from a pawnshop approximately one to two weeks prior to the incident on January 21, 1999. [2] Clark had practiced with the gun in his backyard and knew how to screw in the cartridge, pump the gun and use its safety and trigger. Clark hunted and had taken a course in hunter safety education. Clark had seen the paintball protective eye masks at Wal-Mart when he purchased his cartridges and paintballs and knew the masks were for some sort of protection. ¶ 3. Clark stated that he first learned about paintball when everybody else did and when everybody else was getting them. He bought the same kind that Rico used to injure him. Clark did not remember seeing any writing on the side of the paintball gun before the incident, but he stated he guessed that there was warnings on the side of the gun. Clark purchased the paintballs and the CO2 cartridges from Wal-Mart. He did not read any warnings on any of the packages of the paintballs or on the CO2 cartridges he purchased. [3] He bought his gun because everyone else had one. The only thing that he had heard that people did with the guns was shoot at cars. The game consisted of riding around and shooting at cars to mark them with the paintball guns. The object of the game was to shoot at the car and not to shoot at open windows. No one Clark was shooting at was wearing the protective masks. Clark understood and appreciated the danger of shooting at people as is evident in his statement that it was common sense not to shoot anyone in the face with the paintball gun. ¶ 4. Clark had seen protective masks for sale at Wal-Mart after he had purchased the gun. Clark testified that before he bought his paintball gun he had seen other people drive by shooting at other vehicles. Clark then decided to purchase one. Clark stated that they only shot paint balls at other vehicles that might have paintball guns. He testified that generally he had knowledge of the other guys that had paintball guns. Clark stated that his parents knew he had the paintball gun. In fact, Clark told his parents that he used his paintball gun to shoot at his friends' cars. ¶ 5. Clark stated that he did not shoot at another person because he did not want to get shot back. [4] According to Clark, I figured if I shot somebody, they were going to shoot me back. If you shoot somebody, they would shoot you back, that's pretty much how it went. On January 21, 1999, Clark and his friends were riding around Clarksdale carrying two paintball guns in the vehicle with them. Clark was driving and had his paintball gun underneath his driver's seat. ¶ 6. Rico testified in his deposition that on same night he and his friends were also riding around Clarksdale with two paintball guns in their vehicle. Rico also knew that the protective masks were sold by Brass Eagle and that the masks were for eye protection. Rico testified that he had purchased a Brass Eagle paintball gun the day of the incident for himself. In fact, Rico testified that a friend of Beth Burnham, who is a friend of Rico's, purchased the paintball gun Rico borrowed that night and used to shoot Clark. Rico's dad purchased his paintball gun because he was not 18 and could not purchase it himself. He had not read the warning on the package on his paintball gun. Rico stated that he was sure he looked at the warnings or instructions on the side of the gun, but he did not study them. Rico further stated that he did not read any warnings in the manual, but he was sure that he saw the manual because it was right there. ¶ 7. According to Rico, paint ball wars were played by several people in each car riding by and shooting paintballs at the other's moving or parked car. Rico also stated that his paintball gun never malfunctioned, and it operated properly. Rico had also taken hunter safety education classes and was knowledgeable about how the paintball gun operated. Rico knew it was dangerous to shoot someone in the eye with the paintball gun and knew that there were protective masks available to protect the eyes and face from a paintball injury. ¶ 8. According to Rico, at some point in the evening while he was parked at an area on West Second Street, Clark's vehicle pulled into the parking lot, and a passenger in Clark's vehicle shot a paintball hitting Rico's vehicle. [5] In turn, Rico shot his paintball gun several times at Clark's vehicle. Clark testified that all he remembered about the incident was being hit in the eye. He did not recall anyone shooting at Rico's car. When he got home, he was rushed to the emergency room where he had surgery. Rico testified that he was pretty sure he and Clark had shot at each other earlier the night of the incident. Rico stated that he and Clark were acquaintances and not enemies. Rico testified that he never intended to shoot Clark, but to shoot the outside of the vehicle. However, Rico stated that he had in the past been shot through the car window in the arm. Clark testified that no one had shot at his car that evening before the incident in question. ¶ 9. In his deposition, Michael Small (Small), a retired Brass Eagle manufacturing engineer, testified that Brass Eagle Talon paintball gun was designed as an entry level paintball marker/gun generally used for target shooting and pump tournament play. [6] The paintball gun is used primarily for playing the sport of paintball. Small knew of no hazards associated with the Brass Eagle Talon paintball gun when used as it is designed and intended to be used. Small testified that nothing he saw or read indicated there was any manufacturing defect in this particular model of paintball gun. [7] ¶ 10. Besides the depositions of Clark, Rico and Small, Brass Eagle also attached to its memorandum brief in support of its motion for summary judgment a copy of the safety warning information, operating instructions and consumer notice, that comes with the Talon paintball gun. The warning stated on the front page of the owner's manual: WARNING: This is not a toy. Misuse may cause serious injury or death. Eye protection designed for paint ball use must be worn by the user and any person within range. Recommend at least 18 years old to purchase, 14 years old to use with adult supervision, or 10 years old to use on paint ball fields meeting ASTM-Standard F1777-97. Read operation manual before using. ¶ 11. Clark's expert witness, Dr. Richard Forbes (Forbes), Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Mississippi State University, testified that he reviewed the depositions taken in this case from Clark, Rico and Small, Brass Eagle's SEC filings and documents produced by Brass Eagle. Forbes concluded that within a reasonable degree of certainty, the manufacturer should have provided videotape instructions and goggles for everyone in the vicinity of paint ball guns and their use. Forbes also concluded that unless a better design alternative is utilized, this paint ball gun was simply too dangerous to be given to the general public for use outside of controlled situations. ¶ 12. In granting summary judgment for Brass Eagle, the trial court found that: According to the deposition testimony of Plaintiff John Clark and Defendant Chris Rico, the Brass Eagle product, namely the paint ball marker, did not malfunction and operated to their expectations. Plaintiff Clark has offered no credible evidence to show otherwise. Additionally, Plaintiff Clark admitted that he knew and understood the dangerous propensity of the gun through hunter education safety courses, his knowledge and understanding as to how to operate the paint ball marker, his practice in operating the marker and knowledge and understanding of the harm of shooting another person along with the possibility of being shot at and injured by another person. The Plaintiff and Co-Defendant Rico knew and appreciated the danger inherent in the use of paint ball guns without wearing protective eye wear. The Court concludes there is no genuine issues of material fact as to the Defendant Brass Eagle, Inc. Accordingly, summary judgment is proper in this case and judgment is entered in favor of Defendant Brass Eagle, Inc., and Defendant Brass Eagle, Inc., is hereby DISMISSED FROM THIS CASE WITH FULL PREJUDICE. ¶ 13. Clark now appeals arguing that the trial court erred in determining that summary judgment was proper.