Opinion ID: 1251259
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Deposition Testimony of Ratigan.

Text: Ratigan and his wife arrived at the Sundowner Bar at approximately 11 p.m. on September 14, 1993. There were 10 to 15 other patrons in the tavern when they arrived, including their son, Dennis Ratigan, Jr. (Ratigan Jr.), and his friend, Danny Lee, who were playing pool with Michael Ray Smith and his companion. Ratigan and his wife sat down at the bar, which was 20 to 25 feet away from the pool table. They were served beer by the bartender, Champion. Ratigan accepted his son's invitation to join him in a pool game against Smith and his companion. When the game was over, Smith placed Ratigan Jr. in a headlock and rubbed his hair with his knuckles, stating that he would teach the young punk about the game. Sensing that the contact between Smith and Ratigan Jr. was getting out of hand, Ratigan offered to buy Smith and his companion a drink in order to diffuse the situation. At about the same time, Champion approached the pool table and told Smith and Ratigan Jr. to knock it off. After paying Champion for the drinks, Ratigan sat down with his wife at the bar. Ten to fifteen minutes later, Ratigan asked Champion where Ratigan Jr. was and Champion replied that he was uncertain, but he thought that Ratigan Jr. had left. Curious as to why his son would have left without saying goodby, Ratigan walked to a window at the front of the tavern and observed Smith and his companion beating on Ratigan Jr. in the parking lot of the tavern. After asking Champion to call the police, Ratigan went through the front door and ran toward the fight. He first threw Smith aside and then fought with Smith's companion. After 2 to 3 minutes, Ratigan heard someone shout, He's got a gun. Ratigan stood up and began walking back toward the front door of the tavern. He observed Smith standing near a pickup truck with a gun in his hand, and he heard Smith say, I'm going to kill you, Old Man. He then felt a bullet strike him in the stomach. Ratigan then walked back into the tavern and asked Champion to call an ambulance. After the incident, Ratigan learned from various sources that Smith had at one time been barred from the Sundowner Bar because he was a troublemaker.