Sweaney v. United Loan & Finance Co.

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Fatzer, J.:

This was an action to recover actual and punitive damages for assault, slander, and wrongful arrest. The jury returned its verdict in favor of the plaintiff and allowed him $3,000 *67actual damages and $18,000 punitive damages. The defendants have appealed.

The plaintiff, Robert E. Sweaney, was retired from the Kansas City, Kansas, fire department on a disability pension as the result of a leg injury. On November 25, 1966, the date of the incident in question, he was employed by Howard Hart, d/b/a Hart Body Shop, located on Quindaro Boulevard in…