Opinion ID: 1689141
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: False imprisonment claims

Text: ¶ 12. False imprisonment is an intentional tort comprised of two elements: (1) detention of the plaintiff; and (2) that such a detention was unlawful. Wallace v. Thornton, 672 So.2d 724, 727 (Miss.1996). The second element turns on whether, looking at the totality of the circumstances, the actions of the defendant were objectively reasonable in their nature, purpose, extent and duration. Thornhill v. Wilson, 504 So.2d 1205, 1208 (Miss. 1987). The question to be answered by the jury and the trial court was whether Whitten's actions in attempting to arrest the plaintiffs were objectively reasonable in nature, purpose, extent and duration when viewed in the totality of the circumstances. It is the reasonableness of Whitten's actions, not his intent that matters. See Wallace, 672 So.2d at 727. The initial arrest for misdemeanor trespass was unlawful due to the use of unreasonable and excessive force. However, even if the arrest were legal, a reasonable jury could have concluded that the use of potentially deadly force, the alleged death threats and threats of bodily harm, physical abuse and profanity, directed at the plaintiffs during their detention over an extended period of time, were not objectively reasonable for the misdemeanor trespass offense. Thus, the evidence was legally sufficient on the false imprisonment claims.