Opinion ID: 293348
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence and Statements which Allegedly Personalized South-East Claims Thereby Prejudicing Appellant

Text: 86 Consolidation maintains they were prejudiced because certain evidence admitted and statements made at the trial tended to personalize South-East's claim, that is, gave the impression that it was the claim of the LaViers' family which controls and operates the company. It is contended that this left the jury with the idea that this was a David versus Goliath type controversy, with the LaViers family representing the small South-East Coal Company battling the combined gaint forces of Consolidation Coal Company and the United Mine Workers of America. Thus, appellants argue that because of this characterization, the jury's sympathies had to lie with the underdog South-East Coal. 87 South-East Coal Company, for all intents and purposes, is a family-owned and family-run coal company. Mr. Harry LaViers, Senior, and his son, Harry LaViers, Junior, were the controlling forces behind South-East and made the decisions, either good or bad, for the company. The company, compared to Consolidation, is a small producer of coal and its actions are earmarked with the LaViers' name. While there was some personalization of the company's claim by occasional interchanging of the name plaintiff with Harry LaViers, Senior or Junior, this was no more excessive than might be expected under the circumstances. In addition appellants, partially as a result of the defense of in pari delicto, tended to contribute to any personalization which may have taken place. 88 Conceding that some personalization of South-East's claim did occur, it is still difficult to accept appellants' argument that this converted the dispute into a small company versus large company controversy, or appellants' assumption that a jury's sympathies always rest with the underdog. Without some additional evidence that appellants were in fact prejudiced by these characterizations, the record does not support these assertions, and it is concluded that no injury resulted. 89