Court Opinion

ID: 9770313
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 15:58:18.970318+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:37:38.816137
License: Public Domain

George Rose Smith, Justice, dissenting in part. I agree that the judgment should be reversed as to the appellee’s coverage of Tony Davis’s parents, but I cannot join in the reversal as to Tony himself. The affidavits of Johnny White and Melody James stand uncontradicted as to admissible facts based on personal knowledge, as required by ARCP, Rule 56 (e). Those witnesses say that Tony had been drinking heavily, having consumed “quite a few” shots of unmixed whiskey. Tony started to leave and got into an argument with Evans and Talley, in the course of which Talley kicked Tony in the face twice before Tony was able to drive off. Johnny and Melody then drove to the county line to get more beer, a round trip we may judicially notice to exceed 12 miles. While they were gone Tony went home and got a shotgun and shells for it. As Johnny and Melody were walking up the driveway upon their return, Tony drove up, found out who they were, and yelled: “Tell those sons of bitches Talley and Evans to come out if they still want some arguments,” or words to that effect. Johnny and Melody went in and delivered the message. Tony was heard to fire the shotgun. He returned and fired more shots while Evans and Talley were each getting a shotgun themselves. They went outside. Tony returned and must have shot directly at them, for he succeeded in hitting each one in the face. Such accuracy is not an accident. In response to the appellee’s affidavits, Tony Davis filed only a weasel-worded affidavit saying that “the alleged injuries” of Evans and Talley “were not the intentional or expected result of any negligence on my part.” Thus there is absolutely no sworn denial by Davis of the charge that he intentionally shot Evans and Talley. Under our summary judgment procedure, when a motion for summary judgment is supported by affidavits, the opposing party cannot rely on the mere allegations or denials of his pleadings. He must meet proof with proof, setting forth “specific facts” showing there is a genuine issue for trial. Act 160 of 1967, now incorporated in ARCP, Rule 56 (e); Coffelt v. Ark. P. & L. Co., 248 Ark. 313, 451 S.W. 2d 881 (1970). The affidavits here can only be understood to say that Davis challenged Evans and Talley to come out and continue the fight, they responded to the challenge, and Davis shot them both. If a jury should find, on this evidence, that the tragic injuries to Evans and Talley were the “unintended results of an intentional act,” I do not see how anyone could say that the verdict was based on substantial evidence. That being true, the summary judgment as to the appellee’s freedom from responsibility for Tony Davis’s conduct should be affirmed. Hickman and Hays, JJ., join in this dissent.