Thomsen v. Chaney

• Court: Superior Court of Maine
• Decided: October 25, 2013
• Docket: CUMcv-11-67
• Status: Unpublished

Opinion

SUPERIOR COURT ciVIL ACTION STATE OF MAINE DOC~E1NO. CV-llJ-67 , 1J)J J \1~\. \\) lJ )~\I) cUMBERLAND, ss

THOMAS THOMSEN,

Plaintiff,

V. ORDER

LARRY CHANEY, et al, OCT 2 J 2013 Defendants

Before the court is a motion for summary judgment by defendants William

Darling and Maine Roofing Inc.

In this action plaintiff Thomas Thomsen has sued William Darling and Maine

Roofing for malicious prosecution and defamation. William Darling is a shareholder

and the principal officer of Maine Roofing. Thomsen alleges that both Darling

personal1 y and his wife Liz, who was an employee of Maine Roofing, engaged in the

conduct that forms the basis for Thomsen's claims of malicious prosecution and

defamation. Because Thomsen's claims focus solely on William and Liz Darling,

defendants Darling and Maine Roofing will be referred to co11ectively in this order as

the Darlings.

Specifically, Thomsen contends that the Darlings wrongfully instigated a

criminal prosecution against him for the alleged theft of certain trucks, charges that

were subsequently dismissed. Thomsen also alleges that the Darlings made certain

defamatory statements to the effect that Thomsen was a thief who had stolen the trucks

and that those statements were made to persons other than law enforcement officers. The other original defendant in the case, Larry Chaney, filed a bankruptcy

petition after the action was commenced, and plaintiff has since advised the court that

his claims against Chaney have been settled. Plaintiff's Memorandum in Opposition to

Summary Judgment dated June 7, 2013 at 1 n.l.

Summary Judgment

Summary judgment should be granted if there is no genuine dispute as to any

material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. In considering a

motion for summary judgment, the court is required to consider only the portions of the

record referred to and the material facts set forth in the parties' Rule 56(h) statements.

~.,Johnson v. McNeil, 2002 ME 99 <}[ 8, 800 A.2d 702. The facts must be considered in

the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Id. Thus, for purposes of summary

judgment, any factual disputes must be resolved against the movant. Nevertheless,

when the facts offered by a party in opposition to summary judgment would not, if

offered at trial, be sufficient to withstand a motion for judgment as a matter of law,

summary judgment should be granted. Rodrigue v. Rodrigue, 1997 ME 99 <}[ 8, 694 A.2d

924.

In some respects, the submissions filed on the instant motion are the kind of

submissions that give summary judgment a bad name. Plaintiff responded to

defendants' eight page, 40-paragraph statement of material facts (SMF) with 12 pages of

denials, qualifications, and admissions and simultaneously filed a Statement of

Additional Material Facts (SAMF) consisting of 25 pages and 182 numbered

paragraphs. Defendants required 43 pages to respond to that submission in their Reply

SMF, and plaintiff then filed a Rule 56(i)(2) response to the Reply SMF consisting of 63

additional pages, not including attachments.

2 It is doubtful that submissions totaling 151 pages constitute "short and concise"

statements as required by Rule 56(h)(1)-(3). Trying to sort through all this material

places a distinct burden on the court, a burden which is not made easier by the

repetitive nature of some of the factual assertions in plaintiff's SAMF. See, ~

Thomsen SAMF

138, 140, and 135). However, the court has attempted to undertake the necessary review

in this case because the primary offender is the plaintiff, and it would be unfair to deny

summary judgment just because the party opposing the motion has inundated the

record with factual assertions. 1

Some of the problems with the plaintiff's submissions are not just quantitative

but qualitative. For instance, in support of his contention that there are factual disputes

for trial, plaintiff also repeatedly relies on unauthenticated documents, including police

reports, without offering any foundation for their admissibility. See, ~ Thomsen

SAMF

"such facts as would be admissible in evidence." It is insufficient to argue that police

reports would be "potentially" admissible under M.R.Evid 801 as a prior statement of a

witness and aq.missible as a business record 2 when the document itself is hearsay an~

police reports are expressly declared to be inadmissible under M.R.Evid. 803(8)(B)(i).

However, after defendants objected to factual assertions supported by

inadmissible police reports, Thomsen attached deposition testimony to his Rule 56(i)(2)

1 In Stanley v. Hancock County Commissioners, 2004 ME 157

3 response that provides an evidentiary foundation for the information in certain of the

police reports and other documents upon which he relies. This is not the way summary

judgment is supposed to work. 3 However, rather than relying on technical inadequacies

in Thomsen's opposition papers, the court will consider the substance of the

information submitted by Thomsen in determining whether he has demonstrated the

existence of genuine issues for trial.

The facts cited below are drawn from the factual assertions in Defendants' SMF

and Thomsen's SAMF that are either admitted or are subject to denials or qualifications

that are not supported by the record citations provided. On issues where there is a

dispute between the version of the facts offered by Thomsen and the version offered by

defendants, the court has assumed that the version in Thomsen's SAMF, deposition, or

affidavit is correct for purposes of summary judgment.

Thomsen's Claim of Malicious Prosecution

To prevail on his claim of malicious prosecution against Darling and Maine

Roofing, Thomsen must prove (1) that Darling and Maine Roofing initiated, procured,

or continued a criminal case without probable cause; (2) that Darling and Maine

Roofing acted with malice; and (3) that Thomsen received a favorable termination of the

proceedings. Trask v. Devlin, 2002 ME 10

There is no dispute in this case that there was a criminal investigation that

focused on Thomsen, that he was indicted for a felony theft, and that he received a

favorable termination when the indictment was dismissed. It does not appear to be

3 A party opposing summary judgment is required to provide record support for its factual assertions in its opposing statement of material facts or in its statement of additional material facts. M.R.Civ.P. 56(h)(2). A party opposing summary judgment should not be allowed to wait to provide record references supporting its opposition to the motion until after the movant no longer has an opportunity to respond.

4 disputed that the Darlings played a major role in initiating the criminal prosecution.

The Darlings argue, however, that the summary judgment record demonstrates that

they had probable cause.

The undisputed evidence on this issue is that Maine Roofing had obtained a

judgment against CLRS Enterprises, a company owned by Larry Chaney. Defendants'

SMF c_[ 10; Thomsen SAMF c_[c_[ 4, 30. CLRS Enterprises had purchased the assets of

Woodward Thomsen, a business previously owned by Thomas Thomsen. Thomsen

SAMF c_[c_[ 2, 4. After the sale CLRS Enterprises continued to do business under the name

"Woodward Thomsen," and Thomsen worked as an employee of CLRS. Defendants'

SMF c_[c_[ 3-4.

CLRS/Woodward Thomsen began experiencing significant financial difficulties

in the summer of 2008 and eventually closed down that fall. Thomsen SAMF c_[ 13;

Defendants' SMF c_[ 8. At that time, in attempting to satisfy its judgment, Maine Roofing

sought to take possession of various trucks that it understood were assets of the

CLRS/Woodward Thomsen enterprise. Defendants' SMF c_[ 12. Three trucks were

missing, and Maine Roofing began efforts to locate the trucks. Specifically, Liz Darling

repeatedly called Larry Chaney to ask him where the trucks were. Chaney originally

responded that he did not know, but he ultimately stated to Liz Darling that Thomsen

had the trucks. Asked why Thomsen had the trucks, Chaney responded that Thomsen

"stole" them. Liz Darling Dep. 38-40, cited in Thomsen SAMF c_[ 61. 4

4 Thomsen attaches considerable significance to the fact that Liz Darling had repeatedly called Chaney. Although she may have been badgering Chaney to obtain the location of the trucks, there is no evidence that she was badgering or encouraging Chaney to accuse Thomsen. The only evidence in the summary judgment record is that Chaney, on his own initiative and without prompting by Liz Darling, decided to respond to Mrs. Darling's persistent inquiries by accusing Thomsen of stealing the trucks.

5 That led William Darling and his wife to encourage Chaney to report the trucks

as stolen and to press the police and prosecutor's office to bring charges against

Thomsen. ;[_g., Thomsen Ex. 33. When Chaney reported the trucks as stolen, both the

police and the Darlings learned that the trucks had been re-registered in the name of

"Woodward Thomsen Co. Inc." Chaney had not re-registered the trucks and reported

that the Woodward Thomsen Co. Inc. name had been used by Thomsen before the sale

of assets to CLRS Enterprises. Thomsen Ex. 16. Thomsen still maintained an old bank

account under that name. Thomsen Aff. err 24. This was considered by law enforcement

personnel and the Darlings as evidence supporting Chaney's accusation that Thomsen

had stolen the trucks. Thomsen Ex. 33.

Around the same time one of the vehicles was located parked on Danforth Street

in Portland in the driveway of Marc Paulsen, a former employee of CLRS who Chaney

and the Darlings believed was now working with Thomsen. Thomsen Ex. 33. This

location was close to Thomsen's own residence. hl; Thomsen Aff. err 1. 5 Another of the

trucks was found at Rowe Ford, where it had been dropped off by Thomsen. Thomsen

Ex. 14, 34.

These facts were sufficient to provide William Darling and his wife with a

reasonable belief that there was evidence to support a charge of theft against Thomsen.

Probable cause has been defined to mean grounds sufficient to justify a man of ordinary

prudence, not governed by passion or prejudice, in believing that a crime has been

committed. Price v. Patterson, 606 A.2d 783, 785 (Me. 1992). It is not required that the

belief be correct or even that the belief meet a preponderance of the evidence standard.

5 Thomsen faults defendants for stating that the truck was found parked in a driveway two doors down from Thomsen's home rather than at Paulsen's residence. Thomsen SAMF <][ 75, citing Thomsen Ex. 33. However, in the very next sentence of Thomsen Ex. 33, the Darlings state that a tenant in the home where the truck was found was a former employee of Woodward Thomsen Co. believed to be working for Thomsen.

6 State v. Bradley, 658 A.2d 236, 237-38 (Me. 1995). In this case probable cause is

established by Larry Chaney's statement that Thomsen had stolen the trucks, by

Thomsen's re-registration of the trucks, by the discovery of one truck on Danforth Street

at the residence of an employee believed to be working with Thomsen, and by the

discovery of a second truck at Rowe Ford, where it had been dropped off by Thomsen.

As it turned out, Larry Chaney's statement that Thomsen had stolen the trucks

was false and there were innocent explanations for all the other information that led the

Darlings and the police to believe Chaney's accusation. When the CLRS business began

to experience financial difficulties, Thomsen had undertaken to finish some pending

work under an arrangement with Chaney. Thomsen Dep. 37-42; Thomsen Aff.

Defendants' SMF

Woodward Thomsen Co. Inc., he did so because the registration of the trucks had never

been changed to CLRS Enterprises. Thomsen Aff.

47).

Thomsen had taken one truck to Rowe Ford for repairs and simply left it there

when CLRS Enterprises went out of business. Thomsen Ex. 14. As for the truck found in

Marc Paulsen's driveway, Paulsen subsequently explained that he had been authorized

to use the truck as part of his work for CLRS. When the company's offices were closed

down, Paulsen had moved the truck to his driveway awaitin.g instructions from Larry

Chaney - instructions which never came. Paulsen Aff. p. 5 (Thomsen Ex. 47). As far as

Thomsen knew, the third remaining truck had been left at a CLRS jobsite in Standish

when the company closed down, and Thomsen had heard that it might have been

6 There is no evidence in the record that Chaney ever informed the Darlings or the police about this arrangement.

7 subsequently driven around by other former employees of CLRS/Woodward Thomsen.

Thomsen Dep. 43-48. That truck was eventually recovered in Buxton.

Once those explanations were provided, the indictment against Thomsen was

dismissed. Defendants' SMF

nothing in the record to indicate that any of those explanations were previously known

to the Darlings. Thomsen strongly criticizes the investigation conducted by Portland

Police Detective Richard Swift after Larry Chaney's report to the police. However,

Thomsen has offered no evidence that the Darlings were responsible for Detective

Swift's alleged failure to perform an adequate investigation. Nor is there any evidence

that the Darlings were responsible for an additional statement Larry Chaney made that

incriminated Thomsen.

Thus, when Chaney reported the alleged theft to the police, he told them that he

believed "Thomsen and other employees took the vehicles" and went on to cast further

suspicion on Thomsen by telling the police that the truck on Danforth Street was no

longer there but Thomsen's personal vehicle was present, thus implying that Thomsen

was driving the supposedly stolen truck. Thomsen Ex. 16.

Thereafter, Thomsen argues, Detective Swift focused on Thomsen and never

interviewed other CLRS employees including Paulsen, at whose residence the first truck

was found. Thomsen SAMF

Thomsen had essentially declined to be interviewed when Thomsen has testified that he

told Swift everything he knew about the trucks and only terminated the interview when

Swift became very accusatory. Thomsen SAMF

Thomsen also faults Detective Swift for failing to adequately investigate and discover

8 the actual facts behind Thomsen's registration of the vehicles and Thomsen's role in

bringing one of the trucks to Rowe Ford. 7

Indeed, Thomsen's opposition papers contain a litany of complaints about

avenues of investigation which Swift left unexplored and questions Swift did not ask.

See Thomsen SAMF 1:1: 91-98; Plaintiff's Memorandum in Opposition to Summary

Judgment dated June 7, 2013 at 18-21 & n.S. However, Thomsen's claim in this action is

against the Darlings, and there is no evidence that the Darlings influenced the manner

in which Swift conducted his investigation.

As noted above, there is evidence that the Darlings pressed Chaney to report the

theft once Chaney stated that Thomsen had stolen the vehicles, and there is evidence

that William Darling then spoke to acquaintances in the police and prosecutor's offices

in an effort to have the charges pursued. Thomsen therefore argues that the

investigation was "spurred" by the Darlings. As noted above, however, the record

establishes that the Darlings had probable cause to believe that Thomsen had stolen the

trucks. Subsequent failures by Detective Swift to uncover the exculpatory evidence that

ultimately caused the charges to be dismissed did not retroactively deprive the Darlings

of probable cause to initiate the police investigation.

Several other points should be made in this connection. First, Thomsen suggests

that the Darlings were negligent in not conducting their own investigation and not

communicating with Thomsen directly to ask about the trucks. However, neither law

nor policy supports the proposition that citizens who have probable cause to report

apparent criminal activity to the police are thereafter required to continue conducting a

parallel investigation or to confront the persons they believe to have committed crimes.

7 Thomsen also suggests that there is evidence that Swift was not the most diligent investigator. Thomsen SAMF <[<[ 101-02.

9 Indeed, it can strongly be argued that crime victims (and people who perceive

themselves to be crime victims) should stand aside and let law enforcement officers do

the investigating.

Second, the fact that an indictment was returned against Thomsen is evidence of

probable cause. Restatement (Second) Torts § 664. Indeed, there is case law suggesting

that an indictment is definitive evidence of probable cause, at least in the absence of the

knowing presentation of false evidence. Gonzalez-Rucci v. Immigration and

Naturalization Service, 405 F.3d 45, 49 (1st Cir. 2005). In this case Thomsen has offered

no evidence that false evidence was knowingly presented.

Thomsen suggests that there is evidence that before the indictment was returned,

information may have been withheld. He argues that William Darling did not tell the

police that one of his employees spotted the third missing truck in Buxton in early 2010

and suggests that this might have been important to the prosecution decision. The first

problem with this argument is that all the testimony that Thomsen relies on to suggest

that the location of the third truck would have been considered by the prosecutor's

office relates to the information available at the time of case intake, which occurred in

early November 2009. Thomsen SAMF

spotted in Buxton. William Darling had informed the police in August 2009 that the

third truck had been seen in Standish. Thomsen Ex. 36 p. 3. At that time this was all the

information about the third truck that was available.

Thomsen has also not offered evidence that the Buxton information would have

affected the decision to bring criminal charges, only speculation that it might have.

Thomsen is entitled to all inferences that are fairly supported by the evidence but is not

entitled to the benefit of inferences that are so speculative and conjectural that a jury

would not be entitled to consider them. See Macone v. Town of Wakefield, 277 F.3d 1, 5,

10 7 (1st Cir. 2002). In any event, even if no weight is given to the indicbnent, the summary

judgment record indicates that the Darlings had probable cause to initiate the criminal

investigation as set forth above.

Finally, Thomsen argues that there is evidence that the Darlings bore some ill

will against him and that this motivated their actions. The record support for some of

Darling's arguments on this issue may be questioned. 8 Thomsen is correct that there is

evidence that the Darlings did not like Thomsen, that they were angry at Thomsen and

angry at what they perceived as his continued use of stolen vehicles under their noses,

and that they wanted the police to investigate in order to assist them in satisfying their

judgment from the trucks. This may well demonstrate that there is a triable issue as to

whether the Darlings acted with malice for purposes of a malicious prosecution claim/

but it does not eliminate the existence of probable cause. See Restatement (Second) Torts

§ 662, comment b (lack of probable cause and proof of improper purpose must both be

established; proof of one alone is not sufficient).

8 At several points in his brief, Thomsen contends that William Darling's ill will toward Thomsen stemmed from Darling's belief that Thomsen had personally guaranteed some of CLRS's obligations. Plaintiff's June 7, 2013 Memorandum at 4, 10, citing Thomsen SAMF 9[9[ 20- 23'. If there is any evidence to support this assertion, it is not contained in the record references cited in Thomsen SAMF Cj[Cj[ 20-23, which refer to statements made by Thomsen to various subcontractors that he would try to have LatTy Chaney pay his bills but that Thomsen personally was not in a position to pay. Thomsen also relies heavily on a statement in an email from Detective Swift to William Darling that a criminal charge or conviction "should give your attorney ammunition for a civil suit. That's where you go for your pay back." First, Swift made this statement, not Darling. Second, Swift's statement expressly refers to the recovery of money in civil proceedings, not the use of criminal charges to exact revenge. It bears emphasis that Thomsen's papers intermittently quote Swift's email omitting the space between "pay" and "back," thereby putting a more sinister cast on Swift's statement. See Plaintiff's June 7, 2013 memorandum at 9, 10; Thomsen SAMF 9[Cj[ 157-58 (all rendering the quoted words as "payback"). Quotations from the record should be faithful to the original text. 9 For purposes of malicious prosecution, a plaintiff need only show that a defendant initiate criminal proceedings without probable cause and with a primary purpose other than that of bringing the offender to justice. Pepperell Trust Co. v. Mountain Heir Financial Corp., 1998 ME 46 Cf[ 15 n.11, 708 A.2d 651, citing Restatement (Second) Torts§ 653.

11 Because the summary judgment record demonstrates that the Darlings had

probable cause to initiate a criminal investigation of Thomsen, they are entitled to

summary judgment on Thomsen's claim of malicious prosecution.

Defamation

The elements of a claim of defamation are (1) a false and defamatory statement

concerning another; (2) an unprivileged communication to a third party; (3) fault

amounting to at least negligence; and (4) either actionability of the statement

irrespective of special harm or the existence of special harm caused by the publication.

~Lester v. Powers, 596 A.2d 65, 69 (Me. 1991), quoting Restatement (Second) Torts§

558.

On the instant motion the Darlings argue that the statements made by the

Darlings to law enforcement authorities were privileged and they challenge whether

there is sufficient evidence to generate a factual dispute for trial as to whether any of the

other statements complained of by Thomsen were false and defamatory.

In order to evaluate these arguments it is necessary to examine the specific

statements that form the basis for Thomsen's defamation claims. In response to

defendants' motion, Thomsen has pointed to the following:

(1) a March 29, 2009 email from Liz Darling to Larry Chaney stating, "I am

sorry for your hardship. Bill and I both know it stems from Tom Thomsen."

(2) the contention that William Darling made various defamatory

statements to Assistant District Attorney Robert Ellis in a phone conversation on

May 1, 2009.

12 (3) the contention that William Darling made defamatory statements

about Thomsen to his brother David Darling sometime prior to August 24, 2009;

and

(4) the contention that at some point William Darling made defamatory

statements about Thomsen to one of his employees, William Clark.

Plaintiffs' Memorandum in Opposition to Summary Judgment dated June 7, 2013 at 23-

24.10

1. The March 29, 2009 Liz Darling email

The relevant text of Liz Darling's March 29, 2009 email to Larry Chaney is as

follows:

I truly am sorry for your hardship. Bill and I both know it stems from Tom Thomsen. What comes around will eventually go around ... sometimes we just wish it were sooner rather than later.

Thomsen Ex. 15.

On its face this email does not suggest or imply that Thomsen committed any

crime but it either constitutes Liz Darling's agreement with Chaney's accusation against

Thomsen or constitutes a statement that Thomsen is responsible for Chaney's financial

problems. To the extent that her statement could be construed as a statement of

opinion, it suggests that there are facts to support the opinion. Restatement (Second)

Torts§ 566.

10 Thomsen argues in passing that based on William Darling's conversation with ADA Ellis, an inference can be drawn that William Darling made other defamatory statements to other unspecified persons. Id. This ignores the rule that in defamation cases, the words used and the specific circumstances (which relate to whether a privilege applies) are crucial. A plaintiff need not prove the exact words used but must prove the defamatory statement and the surrounding circumstances with some specificity. Picard v. Brennan, 307 A.2d 833, 834-35 (Me. 1973). Thomsen cannot rely on speculative inferences that William Darling might have made unspecified defamatory statements on unspecified other occasions.

13 Whether Maine Roofing is liable for defamation based on this email is an issue to

be resolved at trial. There may be a question whether Thomsen suffered any damages as

a result of a statement that was made to Chaney, who had previously accused Thomsen

of theft, and that was apparently not further publicized. That has not, however, been

raised on the motion for summary judgment.

2. William Darling phone conversation with ADA Ellis

This conversation is a significant element of Thomsen's defamation claim. There

is no direct evidence in the summary judgment record of what Darling said to Ellis,

with whom he was acquainted through South Portland high school sports. However,

Ellis's subsequent email and his deposition testimony are evidence that Darling at least

made statements to the effect that Thomsen had ripped him off. This is an imputation of

criminal conduct and defamatory if false.

A threshold question as to Thomsen's defamation claims conversation is whether

a conditional privilege would apply. Whether a conditional privilege exists is an issue

of law. Morgan V. Kooistra, 2008 ME 26 err 32, 941 A.2d 447. Reporting potential crimes

to law enforcement officials would clearly fall within a conditional privilege. See

Restatement (Second) Torts § 598. Darling's phone call to Ellis was thus subject to a

conditional privilege.

A conditional privilege may be lost if the privilege was abused. A conditional

privilege is abused if defamatory statements that would otherwise be privileged are

made by someone who knows those statements to be false or who recklessly disregards

the truth or falsity of the statements. Rice v. Alley, 2902 ME 43 <}[ 23, 791 A.2d 932.

Reckless disregard can be shown by evidence that the maker of the statement had a

14 high degree of awareness of probable falsity or serious doubt as to the truth of the

statement. Cole v. Chandler, 2000 ME 104 C)[ 7, 752 A.2d 1189. Inadequate investigation

as to the truth of the statement is not sufficient to show reckless disregard. Rice v. Alley,

2002 ME 43 C)[ 23.

In this case the same evidence that establishes that the Darlings had probable

cause to initiate a criminal investigation11 is sufficient to establish for purposes of

summary judgment that William Darling had a basis for his statements to Ellis, that he

did not know those statements to be false, and that he was not recklessly disregarding

the truth or falsity of those statements. Indeed, there is no evidence suggesting that

Darling either knew his statements to Ellis were false or that Darling had a high degree

of awareness of their falsity or serious doubt as to their truth.

A conditional privilege may also be abused if the person making the

communication acts "solely out of spite or ill will." Lester v. Powers, 596 A.2d 65, 70-71

(Me. 1991) (emphasis in original). As Lester v. Powers demonstrates, the dispositive

question in this connection is whether the communication in question was made for the

purpose for which the privilege has been given. If so, "the fact that the publication is

inspired in part by resentment or indignation at the supposed misconduct of the person

defamed does not constitute an abuse of the privilege." ~ quoting Restatement

(Second) Torts§ 603 comment a.

In this case, the record suggests that William Darling's call to ADA Ellis resulted

from frustration at what appeared to be the slow pace of the police investigation. See

Thomsen Ex. 56. Pressing for action on the part of law enforcement authorities would

be within the scope of a conditional privilege. The record also suggests that William

11 The only information discussed at pp. 5-6 above that was not available at the time of Darling's May 1, 2009 phone call to Ellis was the information that Thomsen had dropped off one of the trucks at Rowe Ford.

15 Darling may have independently disliked Thomsen. Id. (Ellis email recounting

conversation with William Darling- "sees this guy every day and has no stomach for

him"). Given that Darling had probable cause to believe that Thomsen had wrongfully

taken the trucks, however, this is insufficient to raise a disputed issue for trial as to

whether Darling was acting "solely" out of ill will that was unconnected with his

unhappiness at what he believed was criminal conduct on Thomsen's part.

Nevertheless, there is a question in this case whether Darling's call to ADA Ellis

was outside the scope of the privilege to report suspected criminal activity to law

enforcement officials. A conditional privilege may be abused if the communication is

made to a person outside the group to whom the privilege would apply. Restatement

(Second) Torts § 604. Thomsen argues that ADA Ellis was not acting in his official

capacity during his conversation with William Darling because ADA Ellis was not

assigned to Portland cases. 12

In this connection there is language in a number of Law Court decisions stating

that a conditional privilege may be abused if the communication is made "outside

normal channels." Rice v. Alley, 2002 ME 43 CJI 23. 13 As far as the court can tell, that

language was first used in Gautschi v. Maisel, 565 A.2d 1009, 1011 (Me. 1989), as part of

a recitation of the general principles relating to the abuse of a conditional privilege. The

only decision cited in Gautschi that contains the phrase "outside normal channels" is

Greenya v. George Washington University, 512 F.2d 556, 563 (D.C. Cir. 1975), which

also used the term as part of a summary of the applicable law.

12 The court would not find that the conversation was unprivileged just because Darling and Ellis were acquaintances. A citizen who reports potential criminal activity to a law enforcement official whom the citizen is acquainted and with whom the citizen is friendly is nevertheless entitled to claim a conditional privilege. 13 See also Morgan v. Kooistra, 2008 ME 26

16 Greenya appears to rely on Prosser's treatise for its reference to "outside normal

channels." 14 The court does not have access to the edition of the Prosser treatise that is

cited in Greenya, but the current edition of the Prosser treatise does not use the "outside

normal channels" language. It does suggest that the privilege is lost if communications

are made to persons who have no reason to receive the information. Prosser, Law of

Torts§ 115 (5th ed. 1984) at 832.

This is consistent with the Restatement's focus on whether a communication is

made for the purpose for which the privilege is given and whether it is made to persons

reasonably believed to be appropriate recipients to further the public interest justifying

the privilege. Restatement (Second) Torts §§ 603-04. It is also consistent with the only

Law Court cases that have addressed communications allegedly made outside normal

channels.

Thus in Lester v. Powers, the Law Court expressly declined to adopt a

"technical" interpretation of whether a communication was made outside normal

channels. 596 A.2d at 70. And in Cole v. Chandler, the Law Court found no abuse of a

conditional privilege even though it appeared that the individuals who had allegedly

defamed the plaintiff did not follow proper company procedures for reporting a

harassment claim. 2000 ME 104 <[ 8.

The appropriate inquiry, therefore, is whether William Darling was acting in

furtherance of an interest in seeking to have potential criminal wrongdoing pursued or

whether his conversation with ADA Ellis was not intended to further that interest. As a

matter of policy, the court would be hesitant to rule that citizens who report potential

crimes to law enforcement officials or who urge law enforcement officials to pursue

potential wrongdoing expose themselves to an increased risk of liability if they reach 14 512 F.2d at 563 n.15., citing Prosser, Law of Torts§ 115 (4th ed. 1971) at 791.

17 out to officials who are not directly involved in an investigation. Nevertheless, on this

record the court cannot find that it is undisputed that William Darling's call to ADA

Ellis was in furtherance of an interest to have the criminal charges investigated.

Summary judgment cannot be granted on this issue.

3. William Darling Statements to David Darling

Standing alone, there is no admissible evidence that William Darling made

defamatory statements to his brother David Darling. Thomsen's testimony - that David

Darling told Thomsen that William Darling had stated to David Darling that Thomsen

had William Darling's trucks and owed William Darling moneyl5 - is hearsay. Plaintiff's

counsel has submitted an affidavit on this issue, but that affidavit only serves to

demonstrate counsel's recognition of the hearsay nature of Thomsen's evidence on this

issue. See Hambley Aff.

However, because summary judgment is being denied on other aspects of the

defamation cfaim, Thomsen may at trial seek to elicit testimony as to alleged

defamatory statements made by William Darling to his brother.

4. William Darling Statements to William Clark

William Clark is an employee of Maine Roofing who was asked if he had spotted

any of the missing trucks. Thomsen contends that Clark was told by Darling that

Thomsen "owed some money and . . . had some trucks." Plaintiff's June 7, 2013

Memorandum at 24 (quotation in original); Thomsen SAMF

misstatement of the record. Clark's actual testimony is that he was told, "Tom had

15 Thomsen SAMF

18 owed some money and Billy had some trucks - awarded trucks." Clark Dep. 6

(emphasis added). 16 "Billy" refers to William Darling, who had obtained a judgment

lien on the trucks on behalf of Maine Roofing.

In his deposition Clark directly denied that he had ever heard the Darlings say

anything disparaging about Thomsen or that he had ever heard them say that Thomsen

had stolen any trucks. Clark Dep. 14-15. Thomsen is not entitled to pursue defamation

claims based on unsubstantiated statements supposedly made to William Clark.

Punitive Damages

The Darlings' motion also seeks summary judgment on Thomsen's claim for

punitive damages. 17 The Law Court has held that in appropriate cases summary

judgment may be granted dismissing punitive damage claims if the court concludes

that the alleged conduct does not meet the applicable requirements for such claims as

matter of law. ~Gayer v. Bath Iron Works, 687 A.2d 617, 622 (Me. 1996). Indeed, in

a case where - as on summary judgment - the facts had to be construed in the light

most favorable to the plaintiff, the Law Court ruled that even fraudulent conduct that

may be worthy of condemnation does not rise to the level of outrageousness justifying

punitive damages. Boivin v. Tones & Vining, Inc., 578 A.2d 187, 189 (Me. 1990).

In this case, where the factual record establishes that the Darlings had probable

cause to suspect Thomsen of stealing the trucks - however inaccurate that suspicion

turned out to be- the court concludes that Thomsen has not offered any evidence that

16 As stated earlier, when pleadings and legal memoranda purport to be quoting from the record, those quotations should be faithful to the original testimony. 17 Thomsen's complaint originally sought his attorneys fees in pursuing this action, but he has since acknowledged that his fees in this case are not recoverable under the American rule absent misconduct during the course of the litigation. Plaintiff's June 7, 2013 Memorandum at 26.

19 would raise an issue for trial as to whether their conduct was so motivated by malice or

ill will or otherwise was so outrageous that a jury could award punitive damages by

clear and convincing evidence.

The entry shall be:

Defendants' motion for summary judgment is granted with respect to plaintiff's

malicious prosecution claim and with respect to plaintiff's claim for punitive damages

and is denied as to plaintiff's defamahon claims. The Clerk is directed to incorporate

this order in the docket by reference pursuant to Rule 79(a).

Dated: October zj , 2013 ~ Thomas D. Warren Justice, Superior Court

20 THOMAS THOMSEN VS LARRY CHANEY ET ALS UTN:AOCSsr -2011-0016207 CASE #:PORSC-CV-2011-00067

01 0000003655 CARY PETER 85 EXHANGE ST 4TH FLOOR PORTLAND ME 04101-5036 F LARRY CHANEY DEF RTND 03/29/2011

02 0000002593 DINAN, CHRISTOPHER 95 EXCHANGE ST PO BOX 7046 PORTLAND ME 04112-7046 F WILLIAM DARLING DEF RTND 04/11/2011 F MAINE ROOFING INC DEF RTND 04/11/2011

03 0000001139 HAMBLEY CLARKE C 75 PEARL STREET SUITE 214 PORTLAND ME 04101 F THOMAS THOMSEN PL RTND 02/18/2011