Court Opinion

ID: 9717507
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 07:04:47.214036+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:53.645764
License: Public Domain

FISCHER, J.,
concurring:
I concur in the holding of the majority that summary judgment in favor of the appellees was inappropriate. In view of the conflicting recollections of the police officer (Foster) and Stiller, it is clear that a factual dispute exists as to the circumstances of appellant’s arrest. Officer Foster testified that Stiller told him that MDIF had control of the store on July 16, 1986 and that Foster would not have arrested Laws had Foster known that MDIF did not have control of the store. Stiller denies telling the officer that MDIF controlled the store. From this conflicting testimo*696ny, a jury could make certain findings and draw appropriate inferences. They could find that the officer’s recollection is incorrect which would absolve Stiller. They could find that Stiller’s version is erroneous. The latter conclusion could lead the jury to infer that Stiller negligently told the officer he had control of the store when he did not. In the alternative, the jury might also infer that Stiller deliberately told the officer he had control of the store knowing he did not, with the purpose of causing Laws’ arrest. It is because of this last possible inference that I concur in the majority decision.
Ironically, had Stiller’s recollection of the events been the same as that of Officer Foster, and had Laws’ arrest resulted because Stiller was in error as to his control of the store, in my opinion, Stiller would be protected by his qualified immunity.
I do not share the majority’s view with respect to Stiller’s “pursuit of the appellant’s prosecution.” We know nothing of the content of Stiller’s conversation with Gersh, and Linda Richards’ efforts, according to her testimony, were not directed at appellant. I am not persuaded that the placement of Richards’ memo in a particular file is sufficient to put at issue her unequivocal testimony. To that end, the admissibility of Stiller’s opinion regarding the import of the placement of the memo in a particular file is highly questionable.
Further, I do not concur that it “was not MDIF’s mission to prosecute criminally employees of Galleria.” It seems apparent that Stiller had a duty to take all reasonable steps to preserve assets over which MDIF had taken control. A proper aspect of those efforts could entail the bringing of criminal charges when necessary.
Finally, I do not believe that there are facts to support an inference that Stiller and Frank, Bernstein brought about the arrest of Laws in order to collect judgments. There is no evidence to suggest that Stiller made any attempt to use Laws’ situation as a collection lever. That charge seems to me to be a bald allegation without any evidentiary support.