Bradley Center, Inc. v. Wessner

Gregory, Justice.

In a matter of first impression the Court of Appeals held that appellant, a private mental health hospital, may be held civilly liable for the murder of appellee’s mother by appellees’ father, a patient in appellant’s facility. Bradley Center v. Wessner, 161 Ga. App. 576 (287 SE2d 716) (1982).

Briefly, the relevant facts are as follows: Appellee’s father, Matthew Wessner, and appellees’ mother, Linda Wessner, had experienced long-term marital problems, apparently resulting from Mrs. Wessner’s extramarital affair. Because of these problems Mr. Wessner became a “voluntary”…