Berling v. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction

557 N.E.2d 174, 52 Ohio Misc. 2d 6, 1989 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 27
CourtOhio Court of Claims
DecidedJune 7, 1989
DocketNo. 88-04546
StatusPublished

This text of 557 N.E.2d 174 (Berling v. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Berling v. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, 557 N.E.2d 174, 52 Ohio Misc. 2d 6, 1989 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 27 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1989).

Opinion

Leach, J.

On April 13,1988, plaintiff filed a complaint in this court, as the administrator of the estate of Retha Welch, alleging that the defendant negligently supervised a parolee thereby causing the death of Retha Welch. This cause came on for trial on May 15,1989 on the sole issue of liability. The parties presented evidence, testimony and arguments as to the facts and issues involved herein. Upon consideration of the record the court renders the following findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Findings of Fact

(1)Plaintiff, Gerry H. Berling, is the son and duly appointed administrator of the estate of Retha Welch;

(2) On or about January 20, 1987, the defendant released William R. Virgil from the Chillicothe Correctional Institution and ordered him to report to the Hamilton County Probation Department, pursuant to the Adult Parole Authority’s (“APA’s”) statutory authority, for continued supervision;

(3) Theresa Pomerleau, a recent employee of the APA and a probationary parole officer at the time pertinent hereto, was assigned to supervise Virgil’s activities and rehabilitation while he was on parole;

(4) Subsequent to Virgil’s release on parole, he established residence at the Tender Mercies Group Home, which provides, in essence, housing for homeless and mentally ill persons in Cincinnati, Ohio;

(5) On January 21, 1987, Virgil met with Pomerleau, his parole officer, to become acquainted and to discuss the parole rules governing his period of supervision. Virgil demonstrated a poor attitude and was reluctant to sign the rules form;

(6) Virgil was considered by the APA to require maximum supervision;

(7) Ideally, a parole officer in said district attempts to have two face-to-face meetings with a parolee and one home verification per month;

(8) Pomerleau and Virgil were scheduled to meet on January 26, 1987, but Virgil cancelled the meeting due to an alleged job interview. A meeting was also scheduled for January 30,1987, but the meeting was cancelled due to Virgil’s appointment with someone in the welfare department. The next scheduled appointment was February 5, 1987, but Virgil was absent without an explanation;

(9) On February 10, 1987, Virgil and Pomerleau met, pursuant to a letter Pomerleau sent to Virgil indicating that he must appear on said date or he [7]*7would be in violation of his parole. Virgil also appeared at his scheduled office visits on March 2 and 16, 1987;

(10) Pomerleau had contacted Tender Mercies Group Home on various occasions to verify Virgil’s residence;

(11) Joseph Poole, Pomerleau’s direct supervisor, discussed Virgil’s case with Pomerleau on at least five occasions within an eleven-week period of time;

(12) Virgil was suspected of committing various thefts and of drug abuse, but there was lack of information to consider him in violation of his parole. On March 19, 1987, however, he was arrested by members of [the] Cincinnati Police Department due to a possible APA violation;

(13) On April 2, 1987, a hearing was held at the Hamilton County Jail concerning Virgil’s arrest. No probable cause was found as a result of said hearing and Virgil was released. Immediately thereafter, Pomerleau met with Virgil to discuss new parole rules. They also met on the next day to discuss overall problems and supervision;

(14) Retha Welch worked with inmates through a church group, discussing religion as a way of bringing a change to one’s life. Welch had taken Virgil to church on various occasions and they allegedly became close friends;

(15) Retha Welch was murdered on or about April 9, 1987, and Virgil was subsequently charged [with] and convicted of the offense; and

(16) There was no special relationship between the decedent and the APA.

Conclusions of Law

Plaintiff contends that the defendant negligently supervised Virgil and negligently allowed him to remain on parole after he had violated his parole. In essence, plaintiff alleges that defendant’s failure to supervise Virgil “in such manner as to insure as nearly as possible the parolee’s rehabilitation while at the same time providing maximum protection to the general public,” as required by R.C. 5149.04 (A), constituted negligence per se (violation of statute), or, in the alternative, . constituted ordinary negligence.

In view of the allegations asserted, plaintiff has the burden of proof to show by a preponderance of the evidence that defendant was liable under the circumstances. It is generally accepted in Ohio that the essential elements of negligence are (1) a duty of care owing to the plaintiff; (2) a breach of that duty by a negligent act or omission; and (3) an injury proximately resulting from such breach. Strother v. Hutchinson (1981), 67 Ohio St. 2d 282, 21 O.O. 3d 177, 423 N.E. 2d 467; Di Gildo v. Caponi (1969), 18 Ohio St. 2d 125, 47 O.O. 2d 282, 247 N.E. 2d 732. Also to be considered is the allegation of negligence per se due to plaintiff’s claim that defendant violated a specific requirement of law, to wit: R.C. 5149.04(A). See 70 Ohio Jurisprudence 3d (1986) 123, 123-124, Negligence, Section 53.

Testimony at trial revealed that there was suspicion that Virgil was linked to acts of theft and drug use during his parole period. Plaintiff’s expert witness, Dr. Michael A. Gureasko, a psychiatrist, testified that, in consideration of Virgil’s past behavior and the allegations of theft and drug use, he believed Virgil should have been deemed a parole violator much earlier in his relationship with the APA. He testified that a person’s past behavior is the best indication to predict future behavior; in this case, he believed that Virgil demonstrated violent behavior in the past, and, as such, violence should have been foreseeable. Dr. Gureasko was of the opinion that Virgil violated the conditions of his parole. In [8]*8this regard, he stated that if Virgil’s parole had been revoked because of his conduct and behavioral problems, Retha Welch would not have met her untimely death.

Pomerleau testified that it is not uncommon for a parolee to miss the first appointment with his parole officer and thus she did not press the issue. Thereafter, Pomerleau scheduled meetings and Virgil missed a couple of them, but he alerted Pomerleau that he could not be present. Virgil did miss the scheduled February 5, 1987 meeting without contacting Pomer-leau, which could have constituted a technical violation; but, since he appeared after Pomerleau wrote to him, she decided not to consider his absence a violation. Pomerleau was in contact with him either by telephone or face-to-face at the scheduled meetings.

As aforementioned, a parole officer in the district attempts to have two face-to-face meetings with a parolee and one home verification per month. It is the court’s opinion, based on the evidence, that Pomerleau followed her duties as a responsible parole officer although her efforts were at times frustrated by Virgil. In reference to the allegations of theft and drug use, Pomerleau stated that there was a lack of information or evidence to substantiate the accusations and, thus, no probable cause to revoke Virgil’s parole. Pomerleau discussed Virgil’s case with her supervisor on at least five occasions and, though the APA believed Virgil should be sent back to prison, there was insufficient evidence to bring this desire to fruition.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
557 N.E.2d 174, 52 Ohio Misc. 2d 6, 1989 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 27, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/berling-v-ohio-department-of-rehabilitation-correction-ohioctcl-1989.