Court Opinion

ID: 9680662
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:36:10.779332+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:29.655954
License: Public Domain

RUDDY, Judge
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion because I believe plaintiff is correct in his contention that there was no evidence to support the submission of self defense. Plaintiff contends that the evidence showed that defendant was the aggressor and struck the first blow and that plaintiff had committed no overt act when defendant, lying and waiting, struck at him and injured plaintiff. Plaintiff contends that defendant’s own evidence shows conclusively that he was the aggressor and that there was no evidence in plaintiff’s case to support defendant’s self defense instruction. After a close analysis of the evidence in the case as shown in the majority opinion and other record evidence which I shall refer to, I must agree with plaintiff’s contention.
I do not disagree with the principles of law relied on in the majority opinion. My disagreement is with the application of the law to the facts of this case. The rule to be applied as given to us in the Missouri cases is that found in Duncan v. Moore, 219 Mo.App. 374, 271 S.W. 847, l.c. 849, where the court said (quoting from 2 R.C.L. 549, § 27):
“An assault and battery cannot be justified on the ground of self-defense unless the person assaulted had at least done some overt act or made a hostile demonstration of a character to give the assailant reasonable ground to suppose himself in imminent danger.”
The overt act or hostile display of force must be under such circumstances as to cause defendant reasonably to suspect and fear injury and must be reasonably calculated to create apprehension of present violence. Any movement, however threatening, which does not produce such fear of physical harm will not justify an assault. 6 C.J.S. Assault and Battery § 5c(l), p. 799. From what I have said it will be noted that it is essential, in order to justify a submission of self defense, that defendant’s proof show that there was an overt act of attack and that defendant at the time had reasonable grounds to suppose that he was in imminent danger. There must be evidence that defendant had just cause to believe that plaintiff was about to assault him in order to justify defendant’s act in first striking plaintiff. What I have said finds support, either directly or inferentially, in the following cases: Cunningham v. Reagan, Mo., 273 S.W.2d 174; Lehman v. Lambert, 329 Mo. 1147, 49 S.W.2d 65, 67; Lawrence v. Womack, Mo.App., 23 S.W.2d 190. In all of the cases cited by the parties, which I have examined, where the principle of self defense is discussed, it is clearly shown that the person assaulted must be found to be doing something which will reasonably cause and does cause the other party to believe that an assault is about to be committed upon his person and in order to repel that assault he strikes the first blow.
In order for defendant to avail himself of the right of self defense it is also essential for him to show that his fear of physical injury be reasonable or such as a reasonable person would entertain under the circumstances at the time of the assault. However, the mere belief of a person using force to repel an assault is not alone sufficient to make it a case of self defense, unless the facts justify such belief. 6 C.J.S. Assault and Battery § 18b(l), p. 811; and Lehman v. Lambert, supra. It is evident to me upon a perusal of the evidence in this case that plaintiff did not commit any overt act at the time defendant swung on plain*547tiff or prior thereto which should have reasonably caused defendant to fear an injury to his person; nor did plaintiff make any hostile demonstration toward defendant at any time of a character to give the defendant reasonable grounds to suppose that he was in imminent danger. I find no evidence from which the jury could find that plaintiff was about to attack defendant and as said in Lawrence v. Womack, supra, 1. c. 192: “ * * * One cannot attack without first being attacked. * * * ”
Defendant’s testimony shows that he took the first swing at plaintiff and it becomes clear as I read his testimony that at the time he swung at plaintiff he was under no apprehension or fear of physical harm to himself or to any of his customers at the hands of plaintiff. He waited for plaintiff at the archway where plaintiff had to pass through and when plaintiff’s wife sought information as to what was going on defendant grabbed her by the arm and told her to get out of there, that she was going to get hurt. From this statement it may reasonably be inferred that he expected violence to occur and it may reasonably be inferred that he intended to initiate it. I do not agree with the majority opinion in the finding that defendant was in fear for the safety of his customers when he made this remark to Linda Cartwell, the girl friend of plaintiff and later to become his wife. Certainly defendant did not think at the time that plaintiff was about to injure his girl friend. I think the proper and reasonable inference that must be taken from this statement of defendant to Linda Cartwell is that defendant expected violence to occur and that he would start that violence. Defendant admitted that when plaintiff left the restroom he walked toward the archway “naturally,” however, saying, that plaintiff looked like he was still “ * * * a little bit mad anyway * * There is nothing in this description to show that plaintiff might have been mad at defendant and even if he was it would have been insufficient to support a plea of self defense. Duncan v. Moore, supra.
Defendant’s own testimony reveals his reason for attacking plaintiff. It does not demonstrate or indicate that he had any fear of an attack by plaintiff on his person or on the person of any customer at that time. When he was asked what his attitude was toward plaintiff, after the incident between Tellman and plaintiff, he said, “ * * * it kind of got your hair all up again.” He admitted that the incident upset him and he was determined that plaintiff was not going to hit anybody else in the tavern. He admitted that he waited in the doorway or archway for plaintiff to come out of the restroom. This was a place where plaintiff had to come in very close proximity to defendant in order to pass through the archway. With his “ * * * hair all up again * * * ” he waited there for plaintiff with his hands up over the top of the archway. This was not the kind of conduct or attitude of a person about to be assaulted or who entertains fear of bodily injury to his person. Rather, it was an attitude of belligerence and of one who is about to do battle.
Defendant’s testimony clearly indicates that he started the fisticuffs. When plaintiff left the restroom he had to come in the direction of the archway where defendant was standing in order to get through. Defendant admitted that plaintiff asked “What’s going on?” and immediately thereafter he swung at plaintiff. This inquiry of plaintiff certainly was not an overt act or hostile demonstration on the part of plaintiff toward defendant and could not, under the circumstances, cause defendant to apprehend that plaintiff was about to inflict physical injury on his person or on any other person. When defendant was asked if he had any apprehension or fear that plaintiff might assault him, he answered, “I thought if he had done it once he could do it again.” This was an evasive answer and did not indicate that he possessed any apprehension or fear that he might be assaulted by plaintiff. As we have pointed out heretofore, defendant’s fear of injury at the hands of plaintiff *548must have been a reasonable one or such as a reasonable person would entertain under the circumstances. Defendant’s testimony shows no circumstances that would cause him to apprehend or to fear injury at the hands of plaintiff. I think the only reason shown by defendant’s evidence, and for that matter by all the evidence in the record, for his assault on plaintiff, was summed up in his answer, when he said, that he “took a sock” at plaintiff to keep somebody else from being hurt. It may well be that the “Code of the street” would approve and tolerate such conduct on the part of defendant in view of the happenings and the conduct of the plaintiff that evening. But as said in Lehman v. Lambert, supra, l. c. 67 (quoting from 2 R.C.L. 554): “* * * ‘Peace and good order and the rules for civilized society forbid that individuals shall right their own wrongs. * * * ’ ” Where one prepares himself for an encounter in which he intends to wreak his malice, he is not entitled to the plea of self defense. Lawrence v. Womack, supra, l. c. 192.
Defendant’s testimony clearly shows that he was the aggressor and struck the first blow and that he assaulted plaintiff without any legal justification or excuse. The evidence clearly shows that Tellman and his group had left the tavern and were gone at the time plaintiff came out of the restroom. There was no other customer present that plaintiff had threatened that evening; nor was there any customer present that was threatened at the time or about to ^be assaulted by plaintiff at the time.
The evidence shows that plaintiff had to be hospitalized and at some time following the described occurrence, defendant visited plaintiff’s home to discuss the affair. He told plaintiff that we have been good friends and that he did not know why he had hit plaintiff. Defendant invited plaintiff to return to the tavern as a customer in his place of business. It is true that this evidence was given by plaintiff, but I think it sums up defendant’s conduct on the evening in question — that he did not know why he hit plaintiff. Obviously, such a statement on the part of defendant excludes any apprehension of fear or of physical violence to defendant at the hand of plaintiff.
The majority opinion holds that the slap administered on plaintiff by Martha Preuss was no doubt in retaliation for vile and insulting remarks by plaintiff. There is not one bit of evidence in the record to show the nature of these remarks or what was said; nor is there anything in the record to show what Martha Preuss said to the plaintiff. All witnesses agree that Martha Preuss was the first to engage plaintiff in an argument. No mention is made in the majority opinion about defendant’s aggressive and belligerent action in shoving and causing injury to Don Roark immediately following his encounter with the plaintiff. Don Roark, without having made any protest to the defendant or any threatening or hostile act, was shoved to the floor and injured by the defendant, immediately after his encounter with the plaintiff, which in my opinion is evidence of defendant’s continued belligerent and aggressive conduct.
The majority opinion cites Restatement, Second, Torts Sec. 76 to the effect that where a person has reasonable grounds to believe, and does believe that another is about to assault or do bodily harm to one he owes a duty to protect, he need not wait until the other person actually strikes or makes an assault before resorting to the application of reasonable force to repel the expected attack. I would not quarrel with this statement of the law. I do contend that there is not one bit of evidence to show that anyone to whom defendant owed the duty to protect was about to be assaulted. The only previous assault of the evening perpetrated by plaintiff had been on the person of Tellman who at the time of the encounter forming the basis of this law suit had left the premises together with his associates. No other person had been attacked that evening nor was any other *549person in the tavern threatened by plaintiff with physical violence. As said in 6 C.J.S. Assault and Battery § 19, p. 815: “ * * * When the danger is over, justification for the use of violence is at an end.” Therefore, this principle of law relied on in the majority opinion has no application to the instant case.
Turning attention to the contention of plaintiff that the court erred in admitting evidence of other altercations of plaintiff which were disassociated from the occurrence in question, I must agree that this was error. During the trial defendant sought to cross-examine plaintiff about pri- or specific acts wherein plaintiff had been engaged in altercations. Plaintiff objected to this cross-examination and in the colloquy that followed between the attorneys and the court, defendant’s attorney informed the court that he proposed to bring in witnesses to show that plaintiff “ * * * has picked fights with other persons * * * » Defendant sought this cross-examination and the right to make this proof on the ground that defendant had pleaded self defense and that in such a case proof of these acts and defendant’s knowledge of the turbulent and violent disposition of the plaintiff were proper matters of evidence and said that the proof of specific acts was an exception to the rule that permitted only proof of reputation. The court sustained plaintiff’s objection to the cross-examination and proof of the specific acts. Despite the court’s ruling cross-examination regarding and proof supporting plaintiff’s engagement in other altercations were permitted by the court and plaintiff, as stated, now says this constitutes prejudicial error. The rule, as I find it, is that such evidence, if not remote, is admissible in a proper case, but is not competent to sustain the plea of self defense, unless proof is first given that there was an overt act of attack by the plaintiff or some threatening demonstration to inflict bodily harm on the defendant by plaintiff and that defendant at the time had reasonable grounds to suppose that he was in imminent danger. Duncan v. Moore, supra, Mendez v. State, 27 Ariz. 82, 229 P. 1032. Inasmuch as I have found that there was no evidence to support defendant’s plea of self defense this evidence of other altercations of plaintiff, not associated with the one in question, was inadmissible. Such a rule is sound and logical. Of course, if defendant’s only evidence of self defense was proof of other altercations, obviously, no submissible case would be made for the jury. Therefore, these prior altercations are inadmissible until there is evidence of an overt act of attack by the plaintiff or some threatening demonstration to inflict bodily harm on defendant by plaintiff and that defendant at the time of the assault that forms the basis of the law suit had reasonable grounds to suppose that he (defendant) was in imminent danger. As I have said defendant’s evidence and all other evidence in the case showed that defendant was the aggressor and assaulted plaintiff without any legal justification or excuse. Therefore, the trial court erred in admitting evidence of other altercations.
I would find that the trial court erred in failing to direct the jury to find the issue of liability in favor of the plaintiff and against defendant and the jury should have been instructed that the only question for it was the amount of damages sustained by plaintiff. I would reverse the judgment and remand the cause for a new trial on the issue of damages only.