City of Jackson v. Calcote

910 So. 2d 1103, 2005 Miss. App. LEXIS 49, 2005 WL 43729
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedJanuary 11, 2005
Docket2003-CA-01318-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 910 So. 2d 1103 (City of Jackson v. Calcote) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Jackson v. Calcote, 910 So. 2d 1103, 2005 Miss. App. LEXIS 49, 2005 WL 43729 (Mich. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

910 So.2d 1103 (2005)

CITY OF JACKSON, Appellant,
v.
Chad E. CALCOTE, Appellee.

No. 2003-CA-01318-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

January 11, 2005.
Rehearing Denied September 6, 2005.

*1106 Terry Wallace, Jackson, Sharon Diane Gipson, attorneys for appellant.

Charles Eric Malouf, Michael J. Malouf, Jackson, attorneys for appellee.

Before BRIDGES, P.J., CHANDLER and GRIFFIS, JJ.

BRIDGES, P.J., for the Court.

¶ 1. Chad Calcote filed a complaint against the City of Jackson in the County Court of Hinds County. Chad alleged that Jackson Police Department Officers used excessive force against him when they responded to a domestic disturbance call at Chad's parents' house. Ultimately, the county court found for the City of Jackson. Chad appealed to the Hinds County Circuit Court. The circuit court reversed the county court's decision and awarded Chad twenty-five thousand dollars. Aggrieved, the City of Jackson appeals and asserts the following issues:

I. DID THE CIRCUIT COURT ERR IN FINDING THAT SLADE MOORE WAS ACTING WITHIN THE COURSE AND SCOPE OF HIS EMPLOYMENT OR THAT THE CITY OF JACKSON ADMITTED TO SAID ACTS BEING WITHIN THE COURSE AND SCOPE OF HIS EMPLOYMENT?
II. DID THE CIRCUIT COURT ERR IN FINDING THAT CALCOTE WAS NOT ENGAGED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY?
III. DID THE CIRCUIT COURT ERR IN FAILING TO CONSIDER THE DEFENSES AFFORDED BY MISSISSIPPI CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 93-21-28?
IV. DID THE COURT PROPERLY HOLD THAT CALCOTE WAS *1107 INJURED DURING A MELEE WITH OFFICERS?
V. DID THE CIRCUIT COURT ERR WHEN IT HELD THAT THE ACTIONS OF THE OFFICERS WERE UNREASONABLE AND NOT IN GOOD FAITH?

¶ 2. By way of his reply brief, Chad asserts that the City of Jackson's appeal is untimely. Chad asks this Court to dismiss the City of Jackson's appeal.

FACTS

¶ 3. On the night of May 24, 1997, Chad Calcote stayed home and watched movies with his fiancee and his fiancee's sister. Chad's mother, Lynn, called at approximately 10:00 p.m. and said that she and Chad's father, Charles, were arguing. Chad, set on dissolving the argument, got off the phone and went to his mother and father's house. However, Lynn also called 911 and reported a domestic dispute. As Chad made his way to his parents house, officers Billy Dilmore and Slade Moore of the Jackson Police Department had the same destination in mind. Chad arrived at his parents' house shortly before Officers Moore and Dilmore.

¶ 4. Regarding the events that took place at the Calcote's, the version that Chad and his parents relate is completely different from officers Moore and Dilmore. According to officers Moore and Dilmore, when the officers arrived, Charles and Chad met them at the door and indicated that there was no problem. Regardless, the officers voiced their concern for Lynn's well-being. Chad and Charles maintained that everyone inside was fine. The officers told him to move to the other side of the garage. Chad claims that he complied and never moved from that area. At this point, the two versions trail off in completely different directions.

¶ 5. The City of Jackson maintains that Chad and Charles refused to allow the officers entry into the Calcote home. The City states that, as a result, Charles was charged with disorderly conduct for disobeying a lawful order of a police officer, interfering with the duties of a sworn officer and resisting arrest. Chad was arrested for resisting arrest and disobeying the order of a police officer. The City argues that the confrontation resulted in a melee.

¶ 6. Chad states that the officers ordered Charles and Chad to lie face down on the concrete carport floor so they could be handcuffed. Chad alleged that officer Moore shoved Chad's face into the concrete floor, pressed his fingers into Chad's eyes and rolled Chad's face back and forth on the ground. As a result, three of Chad's front teeth broke.

¶ 7. In either event, the officers arrested Chad and Charles. Afterwards, Lynn came to the door. The officers asked Lynn if she was hurt. Lynn responded that she was unharmed and the officers saw no visible signs of injury. When the officers asked Lynn what the problem was, Lynn did not offer an explanation.

¶ 8. Chad was released from jail at approximately 1:00 a.m. Chad went home, took some pain medicine, and went to sleep. When Chad woke up that afternoon, he went to the Methodist Medical Center. The hospital records documented a bruised right cheek, blood marks in his eyes, and broken teeth.

¶ 9. Charles accepted a deal in which he pled guilty to resisting arrest. In exchange, the charges against Chad were remanded to the file but not dismissed. However, Chad filed a complaint in Hinds County Court against the City of Jackson. After a bench trial before the county court, Judge Henley found that officer's Moore and Dilmore were acting within the course and scope of their employment. Before *1108 Judge Henley could rule on the remaining issues, he unexpectedly passed away. Judge Bobby DeLaughter was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Judge Henley. Judge DeLaughter found that the officers were acting with malice and were not within the scope of their employment. Regardless, Judge DeLaughter determined that the officer's actions were reasonable and in good faith. Aggrieved, Chad appealed to the Hinds County Circuit Court.

¶ 10. On appeal, the circuit court found that the officers were acting within the course and scope of their employment, that Chad was not engaged in criminal activity, and that the actions of the officers were not reasonable or in good faith. Having found such, the circuit court ruled for Chad and awarded Chad $25,000 plus costs. Aggrieved by the circuit court's decision, the City appeals to this Court.

ANALYSIS

¶ 11. In considering the City's assertions, we are mindful that the findings of a circuit court, in a bench trial, should not be reversed unless this Court finds that the circuit court's findings were manifestly wrong, clearly erroneous, or that the circuit court applied an erroneous legal standard. City of Jackson v. Perry, 764 So.2d 373(¶ 9) (Miss.2000). Moreover, a circuit court's findings are safe on appeal if they are supported by substantial, credible and reasonable evidence. Id.

¶ 12. Before we address the City of Jackson's appeal, we first consider Chad's request that we dismiss the City of Jackson's appeal. Chad argues that we should dismiss the City's appeal because the City failed to appeal in the proper amount of time.

¶ 13. On April 16, 2003, the Hinds County Circuit Court awarded Chad Calcote $25,000. The circuit clerk's office mailed a copy of the circuit court's judgment to the City of Jackson through Hilton Miller, an attorney who filed an entry of appearance on behalf of the City of Jackson. The clerk mailed the copy to Hilton Miller's address listed in the 2002 Mississippi Bar Membership directory. As the Order permitting extension of time to appeal is not part of the record, we can only surmise that, for some reason, the City of Jackson did not know that the circuit court entered judgment on that date. Regardless, the City of Jackson's May 30, 2003, notice of appeal, apparently unchallenged, is part of the record and this matter is before this Court.

¶ 14. Chad asserts that the appeal is untimely.

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Bluebook (online)
910 So. 2d 1103, 2005 Miss. App. LEXIS 49, 2005 WL 43729, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-jackson-v-calcote-missctapp-2005.