Opinion ID: 2090731
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: ban on smith

Text: At trial, the Ratigans attempted to elicit testimony from Champion and Keith Lang, of K.D.L., the Sundowner's owner, that Smith had previously been banned from the bar. Although the Ratigans attempt to make much of Champion's failure to enforce what they characterize as a ban on Smith, the evidence on this point is inconclusive. Champion admitted at trial that he knew Smith was not supposed to be in the bar but did not know the underlying circumstances; Champion knew only that at one point, there had been a problem with Smith of some sort, but he had never personally seen Smith cause problems. As for Champion's failing to enforce the ban on Smith, Champion testified that he relied on his own judgment because the ban did not necessarily mean that Smith was never to be in the bar. Lang testified that on one occasion during the year preceding the shooting, Smith was in the bar arguing with his ex-wife and causing a commotion. Lang asked Smith to leave because the verbal argument was getting everyone excited, including the other customers. Lang testified, however, that he did not intend to permanently ban Smith from the bar. When asked whether Smith had at any time displayed any violent tendencies, Lang responded, No. On cross-examination, Lang did not agree that on the night of the shooting, Smith was not supposed to be in the bar. Rather, Lang testified that he told Champion to keep Smith out of the bar for a while after the fight between Smith and his ex-wife. Lang set no time limit on the ban; he trusted his employees to use their own judgment.