Court Opinion

ID: 9585303
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:58:50.353949+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:38:08.904603
License: Public Domain

Judge Phillips
dissenting.
Though I agree that the evidence was sufficient to establish that the insured, Felbert Hilliard, was killed in plaintiffs house sometime during the eight-hour period referred to, in my opinion it was not sufficient to establish that plaintiff either killed him or procured his killing. The evidence leads only to surmise and speculation; the greater likelihood that it suggests to me being that he was killed spontaneously in a brawl or fight by one or both of the boys during the six hours that plaintiff was at work and not there, and that her only involvement was in trying to conceal what one or both of the boys had done.
*588Furthermore, the either/or “Mother Hubbard” type issue submitted to the jury was ambiguous on its face and did not result in the unanimous verdict that our law requires. For all we know some jurors found that she killed him, others found that she had him killed, and twelve jurors would have never agreed to either theory.
My vote is to vacate the judgment and remand with instructions to enter verdict and judgment for the plaintiff.