Opinion ID: 2090731
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: sundowner's general security

Text: On cross-examination, Dennis Sr. admitted that before the night of the shooting, he had been going to the Sundowner for approximately 9 months to 1 year and had never had any trouble. He agreed that the bar could be described as a neighborhood joint, where he felt safe and comfortable. Dennis Sr. admitted that he had no criticism of the bar's security, other than the fact that Champion allowed Smith to remain in the bar. Micheline admitted on cross-examination that up until the night of the shooting, she too felt that the bar was a good neighborhood place where she felt safe and comfortable. On the night of the shooting, Dennis Sr. admitted that until he looked out the window, he had no idea there was a problem outside. There was no evidence of a gun when Dennis Sr. ran outside to intervene in the fight. From the time that someone yelled He's got a gun to the time that Dennis Sr. was shot, approximately 10 seconds had passed. Finally, Dennis Sr. admitted he had no evidence to suggest that Champion knew Smith had a gun on the evening of the fight. A jury could conclude that the attack on Dennis Sr. was not reasonably foreseeable. The evidence presented at trial was clearly in conflict, and reasonable minds could have reached different conclusions or inferences based upon such evidence. No evidence was presented to show a history of violent acts occurring on the premises of the Sundowner, nor was evidence presented to show that Smith had previously displayed violent tendencies in the bar. The Ratigans attempted to present evidence that Smith had been banned from the bar because of a previous violent episode, but this evidence was refuted by Lang and Champion; Lang testified that he had asked Smith to leave once because of a verbal argument with Smith's ex-wife. Lang did not intend, however, for that to be a permanent ban on Smith. Champion testified that he did not see Smith get physical with Dennis Jr.; rather, he had overheard an argument that, according to the Ratigans' testimony, apparently ended when Dennis Sr. purchased a beer for Smith and Smith's companion.