INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS
Neighbors’ dispute ends in $1.25 million award for defendants
On July 19, a jury awarded a couple $1.25 million on their counterclaim that a neighbor intentionally inflicted emotional distress when he allegedly stole their dog. Steven Lee Peebles originally sued Michael and Patricia Reifslager for slander and false imprisonment after police arrested him for stealing their dog. Peebles denied that he stole the dog. He said the dog came onto his property and he didn’t restrain it in any way. He claimed the Reifslagers filed the charges maliciously due to a longstanding property dispute. The Reifslagers claimed Peebles refused to return the dog when asked, and their belief that the dog was stolen was reasonable. At trial, Peebles testified under cross-examination that he had intended to inflict emotional distress.
