Benally v. Benally

7 Navajo Rptr. 503
CourtUnited States District Court
DecidedJune 25, 1996
DocketNo. SR-CV-41-93
StatusPublished

This text of 7 Navajo Rptr. 503 (Benally v. Benally) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States District Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Benally v. Benally, 7 Navajo Rptr. 503 (usdistct 1996).

Opinion

JUDGMENT AND ORDER

Judge Lorene Ferguson presiding.

THIS MATTER was heard on April 04, 1994 and this Court entered the following as findings of fact:

1. On December 16, 1992, Plaintiff, upon return from her work at the BHP Mines, picked up her child at the Defendant’s house where the child was cared for that day. Defendant is brother to Plaintiff’s husband.

2. Upon return to her home, Plaintiff’s daughter informed her mother that Defendant threatened to “whip” her if she did not return a black book.

3. Disturbed by this, Plaintiff went back to Defendant’s house to inquire further about the incident described by her daughter. Plans in the meantime were made to eat dinner in “town.”

4. Upon arriving at Defendant’s house, Plaintiff entered and inquired about the black book and Defendant’s threat to her daughter.

5. Plaintiff, after entering Defendant’s house, was asked to sit down and she stated she wanted to stand and Defendant got up from his seat and walked to Plaintiff, pushed her against the wall and lifted her off her feet by her blouse, then threw her to the floor resulting in scratches, bruises and pain to the face, the arm, the hip and back area.

6. As a result, Plaintiff took fifteen (15) days off from work because of the pain and visits to various doctors.

7. Plaintiff also stated she expended funds to move their mobile home to Kirtland as a result of the incident. Plaintiff claimed she suffered mental distress and anguish, was fearful and uncomfortable around Defendant, who lived in the same area that Plaintiff lived with her family.

8. Mr. Stanley Benally, Defendant, denied he touched Plaintiff and he produced two (2) witnesses who support his claims as follows:

a. Stanley Benally, Jr.

1. He (witness) was in the living room watching VCR when Plaintiff arrived at 3:00-3:30 in afternoon. Present with Defendant were himself and his sister, Carmelita.
2. Wanda Benally stood about five feet from where his father was sitting in the living room.
[504]*5043. Carmelita was in the kitchen.
4. Plaintiff’s child, Veronica, did not come into the house, rather she remained in the car.
5. When Wanda, Plaintiff, came into the house, Stanley Benally,
Sr., Defendant, was sitting on the couch and witness, Stanley Jr. testified Defendant never got up from the couch and he never approached Wanda and Wanda did not come close to where he was and Wanda and Stanley had a small argument about a black book.
6. Stanley Jr. testified that only Wanda raised her voice and “yelled” at his dad and he did not see anyone strike the other and they were nowhere within reach of one another.
7. After the argument, Wanda walked back out, and Carmelita, the entire time, remained in the kitchen.

b.Carmelita Benally

1. Carmelita Benally testified that she did not see Wanda Benally on December 16, 1992. Carmelita said she was not in the living room, but she was in the kitchen. Carmelita said she heard nothing as she had the microwave on. Carmelita was not aware of Wanda’s presence. Incident took place close to 5:00 p.m.

9. Wanda Benally, on the other hand, testified to the following:

a. The incident occurred on December 16,1992 at about 4:45-5:00 o’clock after Veronica, daughter of Plaintiff, informed her mother that “Stanley threatened to whip her.”

b. Plaintiff went back to Defendant’s house and there she observed Stanley sitting on couch watching television. The couch was against the wall.

c. Plaintiff had her seven year old daughter in her vehicle outside Defendant’s house and as Plaintiff entered, she stood by, holding the door knob.

d. Upon Plaintiff’s inquiry, Defendant sat on couch looking straight at television and finally he got up and told Plaintiff to sit down “if you want to know.” When Plaintiff did not sit down, Defendant stated, “I said sit down over there,” at which point, Plaintiff testified she said, “No, it’s alright, I’ll stand.”

e. Defendant walked over to Plaintiff and grabbed her blouse and lifted her against the wall and door and Plaintiff testified she tried to push him back. Defendant did not have his shirt on. Plaintiff stated she said, “What’s wrong with you.” Thereupon, Defendant threw her on to the floor and Plaintiff landed on her right side in front of and under Stanley Jr. who was sitting on chair, still watching television. Plaintiff testified when she landed she saw Stanley Jr.’s shoes and he moved back his feet so as not to touch her head upon the floor.

f. Plaintiff testified she tried to get herself up and he grabbed her again and pushed her onto the couch but she got up and stood in front of him. Wanda testified she wanted to get out of the house and she told him she was going to file a complaint and he responded, “go ahead, I got witnesses.”

g. On Saturday, following the incident, Defendant went to Plaintiff’s [505]*505house. He talked with Plaintiff’s husband. Plaintiff and husband were about to leave the house to see Dr. Smith regarding Plaintiff’s condition. Defendant asked how she felt. Defendant talked about the incident with Plaintiff’s husband.

10. Veronica Benally, who was a minor, was also allowed to testify once the court was satisfied she was competent to testify. Veronica testified as follows:

a. She informed her mother that Defendant Stanley Benally asked about the black book and he would whip her with his belt.

b. Her mother, Plaintiff, drove her over to Defendant Stanley Benally’s house to inquire about what Stanley Benally said to Veronica and her mother parked the vehicle outside Defendant’s house. While Veronica stayed in the car, her mother went into the house.

c. Veronica observed from where she sat by the window. She saw Stanley rise and walk toward door. Shortly, thereafter, the window shook. Veronica testified she thought they got into a fight because of the shaking window. She stated, “the last time I saw a trailer window shaking was when Defendant beat up his wife.”

d. Veronica also testified as to what she observed. Mother went in, Veronica thought she was happy and there were no scratches. When her mother came out of Defendant’s house, she looked sad and she was crying.

11. Harry Benally - Plaintiff’s husband also testified as follows:

a. On December 16, 1992, Harry Benally testified he was called home from work and upon his return, Plaintiff was in tears claiming she was assaulted by Defendant. Harry Benally observed bruises on shoulder.

b. Mr. Benally did come to their house (Plaintiff and Harry Benally) to talk about the incident. Defendant told Mr. Benally that he did grab Plaintiff when upon asking Plaintiff to sit and she refused. Defendant told Harry Benally that when he told Plaintiff to sit down, he got up and grabbed Plaintiff. Harry Benally testified that Stanley came to talk with her for about one hour about the incident.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

This is a personal injury case involving battery. Battery is defined as a harmful contact in which:

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7 Navajo Rptr. 503, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/benally-v-benally-usdistct-1996.