Richard Odorizzi v. A. O. Smith Corporation and Pinkerton's, Inc.

In this diversity action, 1 plaintiff sued his employer, A. O. Smith Corp., and Pinkerton’s, Inc. for defamation and false imprisonment. At the end of plaintiff's evidence, the trial judge sustained defendants’ motion for a directed verdict on the defamation count. He allowed the false-imprisonment count to go to the jury, which returned a verdict for plaintiff against A. O. Smith ($5,-000 actual and $20,000 punitive damages) and against Pinkerton’s ($15,000 punitive damages). Plaintiff appeals from the trial court’s grant of defendants’ motion for judgment n. o. v. on the false-imprisonment…