Michael E. L. v. County of San Diego

183 Cal. App. 3d 515, 228 Cal. Rptr. 139
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 18, 1986
DocketD001950
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 183 Cal. App. 3d 515 (Michael E. L. v. County of San Diego) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Michael E. L. v. County of San Diego, 183 Cal. App. 3d 515, 228 Cal. Rptr. 139 (Cal. Ct. App. 1986).

Opinions

Opinion

BUTLER, J.

This appeal concerns the liability of the County of San Diego (County) under the rationale of the holding in Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California (1976) 17 Cal.3d 425 [131 Cal.Rptr. 14, 551 P.2d 334], for damages arising out of (1) the claimed negligence of a psychiatrist employed by the County at the community mental health center (CMH) in failing to warn a wife of her husband’s known dangerous propensities for the infliction of harm upon her and (2) the claimed negligence of a deputy sheriff in failing to protect her from her husband. The damages are sought by the guardian for Mikie, whose mother was killed by his father who then committed suicide. We shall hold the psychiatrist owed a duty to exercise reasonable care to avoid harm to the wife at the hands of her husband, but the psychiatrist and thus the County are entitled to immunity. We shall also hold the deputy sheriff and thus the County are not liable in the circumstances presented and affirm the judgment.

I

We state the facts as presented in the opening statement as amplified in pretrial and motion proceedings. October 9, 1977, Michael R. L. (Michael) shot and killed his wife Cecelia and then himself with the same weapon. This murder-suicide culminated months of marital discord. Cecelia left Michael in early 1977, and filed dissolution proceedings. A reconciliation followed and they resumed living together that summer in Ramona with their son, two-year-old Michael E. L. (Mikie). Michael’s drinking and [520]*520irrational behavior continued. July 30, Michael repeatedly shot and eventually killed the family sheep dog, a friendly creature without dangerous propensities. Cecelia and Mikie were present.

Cecelia immediately reported the incident to the humane society. Michael told her she could leave but if she took Mikie, “you’ll be next.” Cecelia left that same day while Michael was burying the dog. Taking Mikie with her, she moved in with her parents whose residence was in county territory adjacent to El Cajon. She called the sheriff’s department and reported the shooting. After talking with Cecelia at the house, Deputy Jonathan Logan told her there was nothing he could do. The problem was domestic and she should ask her lawyer to get a restraining order.

The next day, July 31, Cecelia’s lawyer filed an amended petition for dissolution and secured an order restraining Michael from being around Cecelia. Michael was served with the restraining order August 5.

September 6, at 3 a.m., Michael called the California Highway Patrol and said he was going to shoot himself or someone else unless the police stopped him. El Cajon police officers found Michael in his parked truck. He was upset and weeping. He said he was having marital problems and wanted to talk with someone. The officers patted him down and found a shotgun and shells in the truck. Michael told them he came from Ramona, intending to shoot his wife, and had second thoughts. He wanted to speak to a psychiatrist.

The officers took Michael to the police station, compiled their report and called Cecelia to inform her of the episode. The report included Michael’s statements he wanted to kill Cecelia, the officers’ belief Michael would harm Cecelia given the opportunity and Cecelia’s recognition Michael would try to harm her.

The officers filled out an involuntary commitment form and transported Michael to the CMH operated by the County. He was admitted shortly after 6 a.m. Admitting psychiatrist Dr. Blumenstein noted Michael’s shaky appearance. Dr. Pappas examined Michael and ordered a battery of tests. Clinical psychologist Dr. Schorr administered the tests and determined Michael was an explosive paranoid with poor self-control, was emotionally immature and had a latent type of schizophrenia. He was a “walking time bomb.”

Dr. Pappas saw Michael again. This time he knew Michael had intended to kill Cecelia and was armed when picked up by the police. He knew the officers considered him a danger to Cecelia and that she was aware of and acknowledged her peril. Dr. Pappas knew about Michael’s prior violence, [521]*521the test results and Dr. Schorr’s diagnosis Michael was an explosive paranoid and a latent schizophrenic. During this interview, Michael was relaxed, at ease with himself and anxious to get back to work.

Dr. Pappas released Michael September 7, the day following his admittance, without further evaluation or treatment at CMH other than telling Michael to see Dr. Olenik, a psychiatrist in private practice. Michael did not contact Dr. Olenik.

October 8, Michael telephoned Cecelia asking to see Mikie. Lying, he claimed his truck had broken down. She drove to Ramona, was threatened by Michael, submitted to his demand for sexual intercourse, rushed back to El Cajon and promptly called the sheriff. By happenstance, Deputy Logan was dispatched. Cecelia related Michael’s admission to CMH, his release and the return to him of his gun. After hearing about her visit to Michael, Logan told her “Go in the house. Lock the door. And if the man shows up, call the Sheriff’s Department and we can pursue a trespass action against him.” Logan later told a civilian employee of the department the situation was potentially dangerous but there was nothing he could do.

The next day was Sunday, October 9. That afternoon, Michael came to his mother-in-law, Isadora’s residence. Cecelia heard his truck and ran to the telephone. Her mother saw Michael who smashed a locked sliding glass door and chased Isadora, beating her with a lead pipe. She broke free and ran to a neighbor for help. Michael then shot Cecelia twice. She died instantly and he turned the gun on himself. Mikie was then in the house and for eight hours afterward, alone with the bodies of his parents while a sheriff’s SWAT team surrounded the house. After firing tear gas, the SWAT team rushed the house and released Mikie to his grandfather. His grandmother, Isadora, sued the County on his behalf, the court granted the County’s nonsuit motion following the opening statement and Isadora appeals.1

II

The court granted the nonsuit as to CMH liability on two grounds. The holding in Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California, supra, 17 Cal.3d 425, was inapplicable. If applicable, Welfare and Institutions Code2 section 5154, included within the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (LPS Act), part 1 of [522]*522division 5, Community Mental Health Services, sections 5000-5550, immunized the County from liability for negligence of the psychiatrists. As to the deputy sheriff, the court concluded the opening statement did not state facts sufficient to create the special relationship between the deputy and Cecelia essential to fix County liability under Williams v. State of California (1983) 34 Cal.3d 18 [192 Cal.Rptr. 233, 664 P.2d 137].

III

A nonsuit following an opening statement is not favored. (Greenwood v. Mooradian (1955) 137 Cal.App.2d 532, 536-537 [290 P.2d 955].) Such nonsuit is warranted only when the court can conclude there will be no evidence of sufficient substantiality to support a judgment in favor of the plaintiff. (Willis v.

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Michael E. L. v. County of San Diego
183 Cal. App. 3d 515 (California Court of Appeal, 1986)

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Bluebook (online)
183 Cal. App. 3d 515, 228 Cal. Rptr. 139, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/michael-e-l-v-county-of-san-diego-calctapp-1986.