Malvo Ex Rel. Malvo v. J. C. Penney Co.

OPINION

Before RABINOWITZ, C. J., and CONNOR and BOOCHEVER, JJ. BOOCHEVER, Justice.

This case arises from a civil action for false imprisonment and slander. The precipitating incident was the detention and questioning of three black teenage girls by a security employee of O’Neill Investigations who suspected them of shoplifting at the J. C. Penney Company’s Anchorage store on December 17, 1969. Appellant, Paula Malvo, was a member of that group.

It appears that Paula, three teenage friends, and the mother of one of the girls entered the store to shop. Three of the teenagers were shopping for…