Court Opinion

ID: 9845869
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:29:47.09816+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:16:23.989945
License: Public Domain

*47Justice HUSKINS
dissenting.
The court is not authorized on a motion for summary judgment to decide issues of fact and credibility. Moore v. Fieldcrest Mills, 296 N.C. 467, 251 S.E. 2d 419 (1979); Kidd v. Early, 289 N.C. 343, 222 S.E. 2d 392 (1976). It is authorized to determine only whether genuine issues of fact or credibility exist. The party moving for summary judgment has the burden of “clearly establishing the lack of any triable issue of fact by the record properly before the Court. His papers are carefully scrutinized; and those of the opposing party are on the whole indulgently regarded.” 6 Moore’s Federal Practice § 56.15[8] at 642 (2d ed. 1976). Accord, Pitts v. Pizza, Inc., 296 N.C. 81, 249 S.E. 2d 375 (1978). A motion for summary judgment must be denied if the opposing party submits affidavits or other supporting materials which materially contradict the factual showing made by movant or which cast doubt on the credibility of movant’s witness. Kidd v. Early, supra.
In the instant case the dispositive question is whether the affidavit offered by plaintiff in opposition to defendant’s motion for summary judgment raises a material question of fact with respect to the element of malice. In my opinion, plaintiff’s evidentiary showing raises a factual controversy as to whether or not defendant Williams maliciously caused plaintiff to be prosecuted and casts doubt on the credibility of defendant Williams.
The affidavit offered by plaintiff tends to show that two weeks before Mr. Middleton’s arrest, Mr. Williams, a pharmacist, had a conversation with Officer Myers, a member of the Lexington Police Department assigned to the drug squad. In the affidavit Officer Myers asserts that “[i]n the conversation, Mr. Williams and I were discussing information or just who had given me information. I asked him did he ever have any information for me, and he asked me did I ever get any information on Mr. Middleton.” (Emphasis added.) Sometime later Mr. Williams got word to Officer Myers that he wanted to see him at the pharmacy. At that time Mr. Williams informed Officer Myers that Middleton had drugs in his truck:
“I asked him how did he know that the drugs would be there, and he responded and said ‘If I say they will he there, they will be there, ’ or something to that wording. That’s all I remember Mr. Williams telling me on that occasion. Mr. *48Williams made no statement to me that he had overheard any previous conversation from other persons concerning Mr. Middleton, and he did not relate to me how he knew the drugs would be there. He just responded, ‘If I tell you they will he there, they will he there. ’ He did not tell me how he learned this information.” (Emphasis added.)
Thus, defendant Williams, a pharmacist with access to drugs who two weeks earlier had expressed concern to Officer Myers over Mr. Middleton’s possible involvement in illegal drug trafficking, suggested to the officer that Middleton had drugs in his truck. When asked how he knew the drugs would be there, Williams simply stated: “If I say they will be there, they will be there.” Viewed indulgently, and given the benefit of every reasonable inference to be drawn therefrom, the affidavit offered by plaintiff gives rise to a permissible inference that defendant Williams planted the drugs in plaintiff’s vehicle.
“Aside from express malice, which plaintiff may or may not be able to show at trial, implied malice may be inferred from want of probable cause in reckless disregard of plaintiff’s rights. Taylor v. Hodge, [229 N.C. 558, 50 S.E. 2d 307 (1948)]; Dickerson v. Refining Co., 201 N.C. 90, 159 S.E. 446 (1931) .... In cases grounded on malicious prosecution, probable cause ‘has been properly defined as the existence of such facts and circumstances, known to him at the time, as would induce a reasonable man to commence a prosecution.’ Morgan v. Stewart, 144 N.C. 424, 430, 57 S.E. 149, 151 (1907).” Pitts v. Pizza, Inc., supra. On the question of implied malice, the evidence tends to show that defendant Williams overheard portions of a conversation in a restaurant among three young people in which they mentioned that Middleton, a schoolteacher, was a distributor of drugs and would deliver drugs to preselected places. No details as to specific drug deals — past or future — were discussed. On the basis of this hearsay information, defendant Williams insisted to Officer Myers that drugs were to be found in plaintiff’s vehicle. Williams refused to disclose to Officer Myers the source of his information; rather, he steadfastly insisted that “[i]f I tell you the drugs will be there, they will be there.” When this evidence is viewed in the light most favorable to plaintiff, the party opposing summary judgment, malice may be inferred from the manner in which defendant Williams brought about plaintiff’s arrest. Acting on *49hearsay information, without probable cause to believe that drugs would presently be found in plaintiff’s vehicle, defendant Williams recklessly insisted that such was the case, thereby precipitating plaintiffs arrest.
Additionally, I note that the affidavit submitted by plaintiff brings into question the credibility of defendant Williams. In his affidavit, Mr. Williams asserts he informed Officer Myers that the basis for his belief that Mr. Middleton was in possession of drugs was based on a conversation he had overheard in a restaurant. Yet, in his affidavit, Officer Myers asserts that Mr. Williams never said anything to him about an overheard conversation. Thus, the “overheard conversation” could be an afterthought prompted by commencement of the action for malicious prosecution. In his affidavit, Mr. Williams asserts he told Officer Myers that “he had no absolute or definite proof” as to where the drugs would be found. Yet, in his affidavit, Officer Myers asserts Mr. Williams insisted that the drugs would be found in plaintiffs vehicle.
In summary, due consideration of the evidentiary showing made by both parties pursuant to the motion for summary judgment indicates that a genuine issue of fact exists on the question of whether Mr. Williams acted with malice. “If there is any question as to the credibility of witnesses or the weight of evidence, a summary judgment should be denied.” 3 Barron and Holtzoff, Federal Practice and Procedure, § 1234 (Wright ed. 1958). Accord, Moore v. Fieldcrest Mills, Inc., supra. Accordingly, I conclude that the trial court’s grant of summary judgment for defendant was improper.
In affirming summary judgment for defendant, the majority goes beyond the scope of summary judgment practice and sits instead as a trier of fact. The majority, in effect, credits defendant Williams’ assertions that he acted in good faith out of a civic duty and refuses to give any credence, as it must on a motion for summary judgment, to Officer Myers’ assertions which put Mr. Williams’ actions in a very different light. In my view this case, in its present posture, raises triable issues of fact and credibility which are not susceptible of summary adjudication. Plaintiff may yet suffer a directed verdict for defendant at close of the evidence at trial, but I think he is entitled to offer his evidence notwithstanding.
*50For the reasons stated I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion and vote to reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals.
Justice COPELAND joins in this dissent.