Yancey v. Farmer

James Farmer filed this action for compensatory and punitive damages against Granvil Yancey and his wife, Willodean Yancey, for assault and battery, false imprisonment, and conspiracy to commit assault and battery and false imprisonment. The jury returned a verdict against each defendant for $85,000.00. A judgment for $170,000.00 was entered against the defendants and they appeal.

Farmer and the Yanceys lived about a half-mile apart in a rural community. They had known one another most of their lives and apparently there had been no ill will between them prior to the incident in question.…