Budoff v. Holiday Inns, Inc.

MERRITT, Circuit Judge.

On January 17, 1980, Norman Budoff was shot and killed by an assailant in a guest room he was occupying at a Holiday Inns motel located in Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Budoff s children subsequently filed a wrongful death action against Holiday Inns, Inc., alleging that Mr. Budoff’s death was proximately caused by Holiday Inns’ failure to make adequate provisions for the safety of its guests. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs for $200,-000. On appeal, Holiday Inns argues, inter alia, that the District Court should have ordered a new trial because of a…