What began as an effort to catch a mysterious thief pocketing cash from the till has resulted in a $580,000 malicious prosecution verdict against Wolf Camera.

Atlanta sole practitioner David P. Smith says his client, Arthur Royter of Atlanta, brought the suit because managers at his former job persuaded Gwinnett County authorities to prosecute Royter for theft without revealing evidence that would have cleared him. Royter v. Wolf Camera No. 97VS0134401-C (Fult. St. Ct., March 24, 2000).