Harrison County Sheriff's Department v. Leandra Ayers, Personal Representative of the Estate of Christine Britton

Baker, Judge.

The Harrison County Sheriffs Department (the Sheriff) appeals the trial court’s denial of its motion to correct error in which the Sheriff argued that it was entitled to judgment on the evidence. The trial court’s order came after a jury returned a verdict in favor of Leandra Ayers, representative of the Estate of Christine Britton (the Estate), for $1.2 million. The jury found the Sheriff vicariously liable under the doctrine of respondeat supe rior because Christine’s husband, Sheriffs Deputy John Britton, knew that Christine had expressed suicidal thoughts but left her in a…