Opinion ID: 1165768
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Probable Cause Effect of Indictment.

Text: It is further insisted that the indictment returned against the plaintiff is evidence of probable cause which was not overcome by the plaintiff. This action was commenced on May 19, 1960. It will be recalled that the defendant Baird in his answer alleged that on June 9, 1960, the plaintiff was indicted for the same crime stated in the criminal information which had previously been dismissed, and that in an amended supplemental complaint the plaintiff alleged that he was acquitted of the charge in a jury trial and that the indictment had been procured by false testimony of the defendants and their failure to make a full disclosure before the grand jury. The defendant Baird testified before the grand jury which found the indictment, though Heider did not. On the trial of this case the court charged the jury, in substance, that if the defendants made a full and fair disclosure to the grand jury of the facts then known to them and the grand jury indicted Gowin on the basis of that disclosure the indictment would be conclusive evidence of probable cause, but that if a full and complete disclosure was not thus made probable cause is not conclusively proved. 6, 7. As the authorities cited and the views expressed in Hryciuk v. Robinson, supra, indicate, this instruction was more favorable to the defendants than was their due. The indictment is merely some evidence of probable cause, Shoemaker v. Selnes, supra, 220 Or at 581; Prosser on Torts (2d ed) 657; Restatement, ibid, § 664 (2); and if it was procured by false testimony of the defendant in an action for malicious prosecution it has no tendency whatever to establish probable cause. According to the well-considered opinion in Lindsey v. Couch, 22 Okla 4, 98 P 973, the presumption of want of probable cause arising from a dismissal of the prosecution is counterbalanced by the presumption of probable cause arising from a subsequent indictment of the party for the same offense, thus leaving the question of probable cause to be determined by other evidence. Under this view of the law, which we think is correct, the instruction as given was error if it be assumed, as the jury could have found, that the dismissal of the criminal charge was on the merits and not brought about by a compromise voluntarily entered into by the plaintiff. But the error was against the plaintiff. We think that there was evidence sufficient to go to the jury on the issue of full disclosure. For example, Baird did not testify before the grand jury that he had given Gowin permission to remove the motor from the West Coaster and take it to Idaho. Of course, that fact was in dispute, but the jury could have found that such permission had been given and that Baird willfully withheld the information from the grand jury. 8. We conclude on this branch of the case that the evidence of favorable termination, want of probable cause, and malice, was sufficient to warrant submission of this cause of action to the jury and that the motions for nonsuit and directed verdict were properly denied as to the defendant Baird.