Court Opinion

ID: 7816217
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-07 17:37:03.773218+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:30:36.649545
License: Public Domain

Ed. F. McFaddin, Associate Justice (Dissenting). I dissent from the affirmance because I am convinced that the Trial Court committed reversible error in giving Instruction No. 4, as requested by the defendant. This instruction reads: “Evidence has been introduced as to the character of the plaintiff tending to show that he is a violent and turbulent person. On the other hand, evidence has been given to show the general reputation of defendant for peace and quietude. Such evidence, if any, is not admitted to justify the defendant’s actions, but may be considered by the jury for the sole purpose of determining who was the probable aggressor.” Hanshaw, a State Policeman, stopped Bookout at a roadblock and informed him that the tail light of his car was not burning. Bookout emerged from his car, looked, and found that Hanshaw was right, and reentered the car. Then Hanshaw wanted to see Bookout’s driver’s license; and finally Bookout showed him the license. All this time Bookout was seated in his car, ready to drive away; and when Hanshaw gave Bookont a warning ticket, Bookout, while still seated in his car, told Hanshaw that he would see him later, and started to drive away. It makes no difference what Bookout said to Hanshaw as he was about to drive away, because words do not justify an assault (Burgdorf v. Chandler, 220 Ark. 727, 249 S. W. 2d 562). Hanshaw grabbed Bookout and pulled him out of the car, and thereby committed an assault on Bookout. What caused the assault? Something that Bookout said to Hanshaw; but we have held that mere words never justify an assault. So, under such holding, Hanshaw was not justified in assaulting Bookout; and any seizing of the person of another is an assault. The Court instructed the jury, without objection of Hanshaw, as follows: “You are instructed that Officer Hanshaw, the defendant, has admitted that he did commit an assault and battery upon plaintiff Bookout and if you find from a preponderance of the evidence that no justification for that act has been shown then your verdict will be for the plaintiff, Bill Bookout; and you may fix his compensatory damages at such sum as you find from a preponderance of the evidence will fairly compensate him for physical pain, medical expenses, humiliation, disgrace, and damage to his reputation. ’ ’ Thus, the Court told the jury that Hanshaw had admitted an assault and battery upon Bookout; and to the instruction Hanshaw raises no complaint. With an unjustified assault committed on Bookout by Hanshaw (in grabbing Bookout out of his car), it was erroneous for the Court to then tell the jury that the reputation of Bookout and Hanshaw might be considered on the question of “who was the probable aggressor”: that is the language of the Instruction No. 4. It had already been established and admitted that Hanshaw was the aggressor; and so the Instruction No. 4 should never have been given; and I submit that the case should be reversed for error in giving that instruction. It is clear that Hanshaw was the aggressor and committed an unjustified assault and battery on Bookout. Johnson, J. joins in this dissent.