Leonard v. State

NEUMAN, Justice.

Plaintiff John Leonard was seriously injured in an assault by Henry Parrish, a recently discharged patient at defendant Mental Health Institute at Independence, Iowa (hereinafter “MHI”). The question on appeal is whether MHI’s treatment of Parrish, or its decision to discharge him, gives rise to a duty of care towards Leonard that would sustain a cause of action based on negligence or medical malpractice. We hold that under the facts of this cp.se the defendants owed no duty to Leonard for their conduct. Accordingly, we reverse a contrary decision by the district court on…