Shaffer v. Sears, Roebuck and Co.

SMITH, Presiding Judge.

Sears, Roebuck and Company appeals from a judgment against it based upon a jury verdict awarding plaintiff $15,000 actual damages and $275,000 punitive damages for malicious prosecution. The three individual defendants also appeal from judgments of $15,000 each for actual damages.

On July 25, 1981, plaintiff and his wife went to Sears Crestwood store to shop. They split up and plaintiff went to the hardware department while his wife went to the bathroom supply department. Plaintiff brought with him three small sockets for use with a ⅝ inch drive handle. He had previously…