ÿWPCé ,# xUNƒ %Ñ 0(×w@ÿ4?S 0Jb 0l¬ 0D 0T\ 0^° 0h 0rv 0|è 0†d 0ê 1uz 0dïU>S w‘ , G4 v~{vÓù B̘IBM Laser Printer 4019IBM4019ÈÈ,,,,ÈÈ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ ¤U¥¦£§ ¨ © ª « ¬­D!_o!3|x­2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman mÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝThe€trial€court€entered€judgment€in€favor€of€all€named€defendants,€with€the€exception€ofÏDefendant€Randy€Oliver,€who€is€not€a€party€to€this€appeal.€€Throughout€this€opinion,€references€toÏð ðDefendantsðð€or€ð ðdefendantsðð€shall€not€include€Oliver.Ì "Ý ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝAs€an€initial€matter,€the€trial€court€rejected€Defendantsðð€claim€of€immunity€under€theÏTennessee€Governmental€Tort€Liability€Act,€a€defense€which€was€based€on€Defendantsðð€contentionÏthat€their€actions€were€discretionary€rather€than€operational.€€ò òòòSeeó óóó€ò òòòBowers€ex€rel.€Bowers€v.ÏCity€of€Chattanooga,ó óóó€826€S.W.2d€427€(Tenn.€1992);€T.C.A.€ðð29„20„205(1)€(1980).€€ThisÏruling€has€not€been€challenged€on€appeal.Ì =Ý ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝPrincipal€Hawkins€testified€that,€had€he€been€notified€of€the€initial€altercation,€he€wouldÏhave€approved€the€manner€in€which€Coach€Anderson€handled€the€situation,€and€he€would€not€haveÏinvolved€the€police.ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò dÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÓ` Ü` p”XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÞ ÞÌà@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE,€WESTERN€SECTIONÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌà@ à_______________________________________________________ÌÌó óà à)ò òÌMARY€KINDRED,€On€Her€Own€Behalf,ó óà à)à àShelby€County€Circuit€CourtÌò òAnd€As€Next€Of€Kin€Of€Marcus€Briggs,ó óà à)à àNo.€23571€T.D.Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellant.à à)Ìà à)ÌVS.à à)à àC.€A.€NO.€02A01„9512„CV„00280Ìà à)Ìò òTHE€BOARD€OF€EDUCATION€OFó óà à)Ìò òMEMPHIS€CITY€SCHOOLS,€ET€ALó óà à)Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Defendants/Appellees.à à)Ìà à)ÌÓÓ_____________________________________________________________________________ÌÓÓFrom€the€Circuit€Court€of€Shelby€County€at€MemphisÌò òHonorable€Robert€A.€Lanier,€Judgeó óÌÌÌÌò òJack€McNeiló ó,€Memphis,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Plaintiff/Appellant.ÌÌÌò òErnest€G.€Kelly,€Jr.ó ó,ÌEVANS€&€PETREE,€Memphis,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Defendants/Appellees,€Board€of€Education€of€Memphis€City€Schools,€WillieÏAnderson€and€Raybon€Hawkins.ÌÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:ÌÌò òAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌó óÌà àò òFARMER,€J.ó óÌÌÌò òÌHIGHERS,€J.ó ó:€(Concurs)Ìò òLILLARD,€J.ó ó:€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓÓ  ÓÓ` Ü` ˜XÓà àIn€this€wrongful€death€action,€Plaintiff„Appellant€Mary€Kindred€(Plaintiff),€on€herÏown€behalf€and€as€next€of€kin€of€Marcus€Briggs,€appeals€the€trial€courtððs€judgment€entered€in€favorÏof€Defendants„Appellees€Board€of€Education€of€Memphis€City€Schools,€Willie€Anderson,€andÏRaybon€Hawkins€(Defendants).× ƒ ××  ×ÌÌà àIn€its€judgment,€the€trial€court€made€the€following€findings€of€fact,€which€weÏconclude€are€amply€supported€by€the€evidence€presented€at€trial:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà àOn...€February€19,€1987,€Marcus€Briggs,€the€son€of€theÏplaintiff,€Mary€Kindred,€was€a€student€at€Hamilton€Middle€or€JuniorÏHigh€School€in€Memphis.€€That€afternoon,€after€school€had€let€outÏfor€the€day,€there€was€to€be€a€basketball€game€between€someÏmembers€of€the€faculty€and€some€students.€€Assigned€to€superviseÏthe€proceedings€were€Coach€Willie€Anderson€and€the€Vice€PrincipalÏof€the€school.€€In€addition,€Mr.€Mack€Trent,€a€coaching€intern€and€aÏparent€was€present....€€ÌÌà8 àà àBriggs€had€volunteered€to€take€up€admission€charges€at€theÏdoor€of€the€game,€but€was€instructed€by€Coach€Anderson€not€to€doÏso.€€However,€he€was€permitted€to€hold€the€money€which€had€beenÏcollected.€€Despite€his€instructions,€he€took€it€upon€himself€to€collectÏadmission€fees€at€the€door€of€the€gymnasium.€€Defendant€RandyÏOliver,€a€student€at€[Hamilton]€Senior€High€School€(located€onÏanother€campus)€refused€to€pay€admission€to€the€game€in€anÏinsulting€manner.€€He€grabbed€Briggs€by€the€shirt€and€pushed€himÏagainst€the€wall,€speaking€to€him€in€an€aggressive€and€insultingÏway.€€Some€students€notified€Coach€Anderson,€who€immediatelyÏwent€to€the€entrance€and€found€Oliver€and€Briggs€holding€eachÏotherððs€forearms€as€though€bracing€for€a€fight.€€He€separated€themÏand€escorted€Oliver€all€the€way€off€of€the€campus.€€As€he€wasÏleaving,€Oliver€called€back€in€the€direction€of€Briggs€and€anotherÏstudent€named€Brooks,€ð ðIððll€be€back.ðð€€This€type€of€threat€wasÏextremely€common€with€students€of€the€age€of€Briggs€and€OliverÍand€such€incidents€happened€at€numerous€times€during€each€day€ofÏschool€and€after€school.€€Usually,€they€did€not€result€in€any€seriousÏproblem€and€they€had€never€resulted€in€a€shooting€before.€€ÌÌà8 àà àAfter€Oliver€was€escorted€from€the€campus,€Coach€AndersonÏreturned€to€the€game.€€During€the€hour€or€so€the€game€proceeded,ÏOliver€went€to€his€home€a€block€or€so€away€from€the€school€campusÏand€obtained€his€auntððs€pistol.€€He€then€returned€to€the€campus,Ïencountering€Briggs,€Brooks,€and€a€number€of€other€students€asÏthey€left€the€gymnasium.€€The€students€moved€towards€Oliver€andÏsome€words€were€exchanged€with€Brooks€and€Briggs.€€€TheÏstudents€moved€north€on€the€sidewalk,€at€which€time€Oliver€fired€aÏshot€which€struck€no€one,€but€caused€the€crowd€to€disperseÏsomewhat.€€Briggs€was€following€close€behind€Brooks.€€OliverÏfired€almost€point„blank€at€Brooks,€who€was€not€hit€and€ducked.€ÏOliver€then€crossed€the€street,€heading€to€the€west€in€the€direction€ofÏhis€home.€€He€then€turned€and€fired€again,€intending€to€shootÏBrooks,€who€had€a€belt€wrapped€around€his€fist,€but€striking€BriggsÏinstead.€€Briggs€was€in€the€middle€of€the€street,€following€Oliver.€ÏBriggs€was€taken€to€the€hospital,€but€died€later€that€night€from€theÏgunshot€wound.€€He€was€conscious€for€some€time€after€being€shot,Ïand€said€to€the€coach,€ð ðCoach,€he€got€me.ðð€€Ìà8 àà à....ÌÌà8 àà àWhen€the€first€shots€were€fired,€a€student€went€to€notifyÏCoach€Anderson,€who€was€changing€his€clothes€after€the€basketballÏgame.€€He€immediately€ran€to€the€scene€of€the€disturbance€and€wasÏrunning€to€try€to€stop€[Briggs€and€Brooks]€from€following€OliverÏwhen€the€shots€were€fired.€€The€school€principal,€defendantÏ[Raybon]€Hawkins,€was€in€his€office€performing€his€duties€duringÏthe€entire€time€of€this€incident,€and€he€knew€nothing€about€it€untilÏnotified€by€a€student€after€the€shooting.ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àOn€appeal,€Plaintiff€challenges€all€three€bases€for€the€trial€courtððs€judgment€in€favorÏof€Defendants.× ƒ ××  ×€€We€summarize€Plaintiffððs€issues€as€follows:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà à1.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€ruling€that€DefendantsÏexercised€reasonable€care€under€the€circumstances€and€that€PlaintiffÏfailed€to€carry€the€burden€of€proving€that€any€act€or€failure€to€act€byÏDefendants€was€a€proximate€cause€of€Briggsðð€death.ÌÌà8 àà à2.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€ruling€that€DefendantsÍwere€not€negligent€òòò òper€seó óóó€because€of€their€failure€to€report€the€initialÏaltercation€between€Oliver€and€Briggs€to€authorities€pursuant€to€theÏprovisions€of€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€49„6„4301.ÌÌà8 àà à3.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€ruling€that€Plaintiff€wasÏbarred€from€recovering€against€Defendants€because€of€BriggsððÏcontributory€negligence€in€pursuing€Oliver€when€Briggs€knew€thatÏOliver€was€armed€and€dangerous.ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àWe€first€address€Plaintiffððs€contention€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€ruling€that€liabilityÏcould€not€be€imposed€against€Defendants€under€common„law€negligence€principles.€€In€order€toÏestablish€proximate€causation€and,€ultimately,€negligence,€the€plaintiff€must€show€that€the€harmÏgiving€rise€to€the€action€reasonably€could€have€been€foreseen€or€anticipated.€€ò òòòCox€v.€State,ó óóó€844ÏS.W.2d€173,€177€(Tenn.€App.€1992)€(citing€ò òòòMcClenahan€v.€Cooley,ó óóó€806€S.W.2d€767,775Ï(Tenn.€1991));€ò òòòsee€alsoó óóó€ò òòòChudasama€v.€Metropolitan€Government,óóó ó€914€S.W.2d€922,€925Ï(Tenn.€App.€1995)€(holding€that,€in€order€for€liability€to€attach,€plaintiff€was€required€to€show€thatÏinjury€to€student€was€foreseeable€result€of€physical€education€teacherððs€actions).€€Foreseeability€is€aÏquestion€of€fact,€and,€thus,€the€trial€courtððs€findings€with€regard€to€foreseeability€are€entitled€to€aÏpresumption€of€correctness.€€ò òòòCox€v.€State,ó óóó€844€S.W.2d€at€178;€T.R.A.P.€13(d).€ÌÌà àBased€on€the€evidence€presented€in€this€case,€we€agree€with€the€trial€courtððs€rulingÏthat€Defendants€were€not€guilty€of€any€common„law€negligence€which€proximately€caused€BriggsððÏdeath.€€Regarding€the€question€of€foreseeability,€the€trial€court€made€the€following€factual€findings:ÌÌÓÓà8 àThe€incident€at€the€entrance€to€the€gymnasium€was€not€such€as€toÏplace€the€defendants€upon€notice€that€an€act€of€serious€violence€wasÏto€be€anticipated€from€the€defendant€Oliver....€€There€was€noÏevidence€that€would€place€the€defendants€on€notice€that€a€shooting€orÏsimilar€incident€would€be€the€result€of€the€minor€scuffle€which€tookÏplace.€€These€verbal€and€lightly€physical€disputes,€no€matter€howÏreprehensible,€were€commonplace€at€the€time€of€[Briggsðð]€death...Ïand€had€not€resulted€in€death€or€serious€injury.ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àThe€evidence€at€trial€supports€these€findings.€€Specifically,€Coach€Anderson€andÍPrincipal€Hawkins€both€testified€that€incidents€involving€students€grabbing,€pushing,€andÏthreatening€other€students€occurred€quite€often€at€the€school.€€Coach€Anderson€testified€that€heÏconstantly€heard€students€make€threats€similar€to€the€threat€made€by€Oliver€in€this€case,€but,€in€theÏcoachððs€experience,€this€was€the€first€time€a€student€actually€had€carried€out€such€a€threat.€€ò òòòSee,Ïe.g.,ó óóó€ò òòòRawls€v.€Bulloch€County€Sch.€Dist.,ó óóó€477€S.E.2d€383,€385€(Ga.€Ct.€App.€1996)Ï(holding€that€attack€on€plaintiff€by€fellow€student€was€not€foreseeable€where€plaintiff€testified€thatÏstudentððs€threat€to€ð ðkillðð€plaintiff€was€not€unusual€among€students€in€plaintiffððs€school€and€plaintiffÏdid€not€take€studentððs€threat€seriously).€€Further,€Coach€Anderson€had€never€known€Oliver€to€haveÏa€weapon€or€to€cause€any€problems€around€the€school.€€Principal€Hawkins€corroborated€CoachÏAndersonððs€testimony,€stating€that,€based€on€his€knowledge€of€Oliver€as€a€former€student,€theÏprincipal€would€not€have€expected€Oliver€to€carry€out€his€threat.€€ò òòòSee,€e.g.,ó óóó€ò òòòCox€v.€State,ó óóó€844ÏS.W.2d€173,€178€(Tenn.€App.€1992)€(holding€that,€given€complete€lack€of€evidence€of€inmateððsÏpropensity€for€violent€acts,€evidence€did€not€preponderate€against€finding€that€inmateððs€attack€onÏclaimant€was€not€foreseeable).€€Accordingly,€we€reject€Plaintiffððs€argument€that€the€trial€court€erredÏin€declining€to€impose€liability€against€Defendants€under€principles€of€common„law€negligence.ÌÌà àWe€also€reject€Plaintiffððs€argument€that€Defendants€were€negligent€ò òòòper€seó óóó€becauseÏof€their€violation€of€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€49„6„4301,€which€contains€the€followingÏprovisions:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà àò ò49„6„4301.€€School€officials€to€report€studentÏoffenses.€„„ó ó€(a)Every€teacher€observing€or€otherwise€havingÏknowledge€of€an€assault€and€battery€or€vandalism€endangering€life,Ïhealth€or€safety€committed€by€a€student€on€school€property€shallÏreport€such€action€immediately€to€the€principal€of€such€school.€ÏEvery€principal€having€direct€knowledge€of€an€assault€and€battery€orÏvandalism€endangering€life,€health€or€safety€committed€by€a€studentÏon€school€property€or€receiving€a€report€of€such€action€shall€reportÏsuch€action€immediately€to€the€municipal€or€metropolitan€policeÏdepartment€or€sheriffððs€department€having€jurisdiction.€€Any€fightÏnot€involving€the€use€of€a€weapon€as€defined€in€ðð€39„17„1309,€orÏany€fight€not€resulting€in€serious€personal€injury€to€the€partiesÏinvolved,€shall€be€reported€only€to€the€school€administrator.ÌÌÌÌÓÓT.C.A.€ðð€49„6„4301(a)€(1983).ÌÌà àPlaintiff€contends€that€section€49„6„4301€required€Defendants€to€report€the€initialÏaltercation€between€Oliver€and€Briggs€to€police€because€Oliverððs€actions€constituted€an€assault€andÏbattery€on€Briggs.€€We€disagree.€€Although€Oliverððs€actions€during€the€initial€altercation€may€haveÏconstituted€an€assault€and€battery,€the€trial€court€found€that€the€assault€and€battery€did€not€endangerÏthe€life,€health€or€safety€of€Briggs,€and€we€conclude€that€the€evidence€does€not€preponderateÏagainst€such€a€finding.€€In€this€regard,€the€statute€further€provides€that€any€fight€not€involving€theÏuse€of€a€weapon,€or€any€fight€not€resulting€in€serious€personal€injury,€need€not€be€reported€to€theÏpolice.€€In€this€case,€it€is€undisputed€that€the€initial€altercation€between€Oliver€and€Briggs€neitherÏinvolved€the€use€of€a€weapon€nor€resulted€in€serious€personal€injury.€€Accordingly,€DefendantsÏwere€not€required€to€report€the€incident€to€the€police€department.× ƒ ××  ×ÌÌà àIn€seeking€to€impose€the€reporting€requirements€of€section€49„6„4301€onÏDefendants,€Plaintiff€points€out€that€the€exception€contained€in€the€last€sentence€of€subsection€(a)Ïuses€the€word€ð ðfightðð€while€the€preceding€sentences€use€the€term€ð ðassault€and€battery.ðð€€PlaintiffÏargues,€therefore,€that€the€ð ðfightðð€exception€was€inapplicable€here€because€the€initial€altercationÏbetween€Oliver€and€Briggs€was€not€a€ð ðfightðð€but,€instead,€was€an€assault€and€battery€by€Oliver.€ÏWe€believe€Plaintiffððs€distinction€to€be€unwarranted.€€The€legislatureððs€insertion€of€the€ð ðfightððÏexception€into€the€statute€appears€designed€to€give€school€teachers€and€administrators€the€discretionÏnot€to€report€minor€incidents€to€local€law€enforcement€authorities€based,€not€on€the€nature€of€theÏaltercation,€but€on€the€degree€of€harm€actually€threatened€or€inflicted€during€the€altercation.€€Here,Ïregardless€of€the€nature€of€the€initial€altercation€between€Oliver€and€Briggs,€it€was€undisputed€thatÍOliver€did€not€threaten€Briggs€with€a€weapon€and€that€Briggs€was€not€harmed€during€the€incident.€ÏIn€rejecting€the€distinction€sought€to€be€drawn€by€Plaintiff€in€this€case,€we€note€that€an€assault€andÏbattery€may€or€may€not€escalate€into€a€fight€depending€upon€whether€the€victim€defends€himselfÏagainst€his€assailant.€€We€are€unable€to€conceive€of€any€rationale€for€establishing€different€reportingÏrequirements€based€on€such€a€distinction.ÌÌà àIn€light€of€our€holdings€in€this€case,€we€need€not€reach€the€issue€of€whether€the€trialÏcourt€erred€in€concluding€that€Plaintiff€was€barred€from€recovery€because€of€Briggsðð€contributoryÏnegligence€in€pursuing€Oliver€when€Briggs€knew€Oliver€was€armed€and€dangerous.€€We€note,Ïhowever,€that,€contrary€to€Plaintiffððs€argument€on€appeal,€the€evidence€does€not€preponderateÏagainst€the€trial€courtððs€finding€that€Briggs€was€pursuing€Oliver€at€the€time€Briggs€was€shot.€€AnyÏremaining€issues€argued€in€Plaintiffððs€brief€are€without€merit.ÌÌÔ&  Ôà àThe€trial€courtððs€judgment€entered€in€favor€of€Defendants€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€this€ÌÓÓÓ` Ü` È“XÓÔ'  Ôappeal€are€taxed€to€Plaintiff,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌÌÌà à_____________________________________Ìà àFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌ______________________________ÌHIGHERS,€J.€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌLILLARD,€J.€(Concurs)