Opinion ID: 1089614
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: events following arrest

Text: The events following the arrest are not disputed. Owens was taken to the police station where he was required to make a $200 bond. He had $162.88 cash on his person. Butler, who arrived later at the police station, recalled that Owens also had some money in the glove compartment of his car. This money supplied the remainder of the bond. After Owens had been at the police station approximately two hours he was released on a $200 cash bond. Prior to this incident Owens had never been arrested. His only offenses were a speeding ticket and an overtime parking ticket. The next day he was tried in the City Court of Natchez for the crime of shoplifting 99¢ worth of potatoes, and was found not guilty. Thereafter Owens filed suit against Kroger for slander, false imprisonment, and malicious prosecution. At the conclusion of Owens' case in chief, the circuit judge gave a peremptory instruction in favor of Kroger on the slander and false imprisonment claims but permitted the case to go to the jury on the issue of malicious prosecution. The jury returned a verdict in favor of Owens in the amount of $18,500, and the defendant made a motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict, which was sustained by the circuit judge. Owens appeals from the judgment dismissing his case.