Knox v. County of Los Angeles

Defendants County of Los Angeles, Earl H. Gunnerson, and Candace M. Stewart (hereinafter County Defendants) appeal from a judgment, after a trial to the court, in favor of plaintiffs Fiona Knox, Doriane Moyer and Carol Likins, awarding each of the plaintiffs $17,500 damages and costs of suit.

The first amended complaint comprised 11 causes of action. The first, second, eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh causes of action each sought damages against County Defendants and against Boy’s Market and three of its employees (hereinafter Market Defendants), arising out of a single incident in which plaintiffs were arrested by sheriff’s deputies at the Boy’s Market for alleged violation of a temporary restraining order regulating picketing. The third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh causes of action sought damages from County Defendants only for alleged intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, assault and battery, and negligent personal injury during plaintiffs’ transport, booking and detention following the arrest.

The first cause of action for unlawful arrest charged that Market Defendants and County Defendants were joint venturers and agents, servants…