City of Louisville v. Habeeb

556 S.W.2d 665, 1977 Ky. LEXIS 522
CourtKentucky Supreme Court
DecidedJune 10, 1977
StatusPublished

This text of 556 S.W.2d 665 (City of Louisville v. Habeeb) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Kentucky Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Louisville v. Habeeb, 556 S.W.2d 665, 1977 Ky. LEXIS 522 (Ky. 1977).

Opinion

JONES, Justice.

This litigation arises out of riots and tumultuous disturbances which occurred in Louisville in the latter part of May, 1968.

The Habeebs, Handmaker and Schneider filed an action in the circuit court. The complaint alleged that on or about May 27, and continuing through May 30, 1968, the property of the Habeebs, Handmaker and Schneider was damaged and/or taken away by a riotous and tumultuous assemblage of people. Their action was predicated upon the provisions of KRS 411.100 which provides:

“If, within any city, any church, convent, chapel, dwelling house, house used or designed for the transaction of lawful business, vessel or shipyard, railroad or property of any kind belonging to any street or other railroad company, or any article of personal property is damaged, or if any property is taken away or damaged by any riotous or tumultuous assemblage of people, the full amount of the damage done may be recovered by the person injured (emphasis added) by action against the city, if the city authorities themselves, or with the aid of their own citizens, could have prevented the damage. However, no such liability shall be incurred by the city unless the city authorities had notice or good reason to believe that a riot or tumultuous assemblage was about to take place in time to prevent the destruction, either by their own force or by aid of the citizens of the city. No person may maintain an action under this section if he has unlawfully contributed by word or deed toward exciting or inflaming the tumult or riot, or if he failed to do what he reasonably could toward preventing, allaying or suppressing it.”

At a pretrial conference, with consent of counsel, the trial court permitted the parties to file stipulation of facts and briefs and ordered the cause to be decided without a jury.

On October 8, 1973, the trial court found for the Habeebs, Handmaker and Schneider. Whereupon, the City of Louisville prosecutes this appeal.

The City of Louisville presents three claims of error in support of reversal of the judgment; namely, (1) the right of recovery by way of subrogation will not lie against it under KRS 411.100; (2) the Habeebs, Hand-maker and Schneider failed to present an action for negligence in failing to prevent destruction of property damages by mob [666]*666violence; (3) it had insufficient notice to believe that a riot or tumultuous assembly was about to occur.

In order to separate the chaff from the wheat and place the issues in the clear light of day, a recitation of the stipulations by the parties is necessary.

The facts as stipulated and as found by the court from depositions are summarized as follows:

“During the last week of May, 1968, civil disturbances erupted in the City of Louisville. Detailed herein is a chronological reconstruction of the events as they relate to the issues before the Court.

“I. On Friday, May 24, 1968, the Louisville Policy (sic) Department received a copy of a ‘flyer’ stating that a rally was to be held at 6 P.M. Monday, May 27,1968, at 28th and Greenwood. Police agencies within the area, the Director of Safety, Kenneth Newman, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were notified that the rally was scheduled. The speakers, according to the ‘flyer’ were to be Stokeley Carmichael and James Cortez.

Upon notification of this meeting, plans were made by the Louisville Police Department to have extra patrol cars standing nearby, out of sight, yet available, and to have those officers necessary to direct traffic in the immediate vicinity.

II. On Monday, May 27, the extra patrol cars Stationed were standing by and close to 28th and Greenwood, but were not in view. At 6 P.M. on the 27th, Captain John Hampton, was in immediate control of the police force in the area. At about 5 P.M. Chief Hyde had received a phone call indicating that there might be some trouble at 28th and Greenwood. Two police districts were s,et up for overtime duty. Information channels were then set up. Plainclothes police were positioned in the area.

At about 7 P.M. a crowd estimated at 200 persons was at 28th and Greenwood. This number steadily increased to an estimated 600 or 700. Calls reached Chief Hyde’s office at approximately 8:30 P.M. relating to crowds milling, bottles and rocks being thrown, and then the attacking of police that had come into the area to restore order. Captain Hampton, who was in charge of the particular police district, ordered the cars stationed nearby to go into the area. Chief Hyde, through Colonel Hawkins, called the County and State Police, the National Guard, and the Governor. At 8:30 P.M. Mayor Schmied called General Buster, Commander of the Kentucky National Guard. In response to this call, General Buster, in order to initiate troop response and availability, called a practice alert pending action by the Governor. At 9:00 P.M., the Governor ordered the National Guard to Louisville, Kentucky. At 10:20 P.M. General Buster arrived in Louisville. After a command post was established at Brandéis School, located in the area, the General went to the Chief’s office for consultation, where he remained during the night. By daylight, 1,200 troops were at Brandéis School or in reserve at the Fairgrounds Armory. In light of developments, the Mayor imposed a curfew covering the hours from 11:00 P.M. to 5:00 A.M.

It was Monday night, May 27, 1968, that Lucky Morris Pawn Shop was first broken into. Forcible entry was gained into the store at its rear door, at a time when the police were in front confronting the crowd there situated. At approximately 8:30 P.M., shortly after the break-in the police discovered the looting; stopped the looters; confiscated materials, and piled the recovered goods on the floor of the store. At 9:00 P.M., Mr. Handmaker and Mr. Schneider, owners of the Lucky Morris Store business, arrived at the store. They remained the night. Police stayed with them in the area.

III. Tuesday, May 28. By 10:00, troops of National Guard were deployed at 28th and Greenwood with police. The National Guard did not have the power to arrest, and their function was to ‘back up’ the police and provide protection for fire fighters who were called into the area to combat the many fires which had been started. At this time an establishment on or nearby the corner of 28th and Greenwood, Moon Cleaners, was occupied as a command post.

[667]*667The morning of the 28th, was relatively quiet. By noon on this date, there were 75 to 100 men in a crowd which congregated at 28th and Greenwood. Large groups of persons began roaming different adjacent streets. At approximately 2:00 P.M., a group of ministers and leaders of the black community met with the Mayor relative to withdrawing the National Guard. At about the same time, 2:45 P.M., on the streets in the area, groups increasing in size were being moved by the National Guard into dispersal patterns. The National Guard and Police were beset at many locations. At this time, Farley Printers, an establishment in the west end area, was burned and the National Guard had to move the crowd back — 400 troops were at 28th and Greenwood, 300-400 at 28th and Dumesnil. The troops were under attack from crowds. The removal of the National Guard was vetoed since uncontrollable groups were still roving about.

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Related

City of Louisville v. Louisville Seed Company
433 S.W.2d 638 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1968)

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Bluebook (online)
556 S.W.2d 665, 1977 Ky. LEXIS 522, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-louisville-v-habeeb-ky-1977.