Smith v. County of Nassau

This action for false arrest and false imprisonment arises from plaintiff’s warrantless arrest by a police officer of the defendant after the victim of a felony identified plaintiff as his assailant. The question posed is whether, as a matter of law, this identification furnished reasonable cause for the officer’s belief that plaintiff committed the felony and thereby justified the warrantless arrest. The trial court submitted the issue of reasonable cause to the jury and a verdict was rendered for plaintiff. The Appellate Division reversed holding that as a matter of law there was reasonable…