Main Content

Advanced Torts

Economopoulos v. A. G. Pollard Co.

George Economopoulos sued the A. G. Pollard Company, which operated a department store. Defendant secured a verdict, so plaintiff brought exceptions. Plaintiff had alleged: (1) that defendant, through its employees and agents, had assaulted and illegally detained him; (2) that defendant had wrongfully charged plaintiff with stealing a handkerchief and then seized and searched him in customers' presence; and (3) that defendant had falsely and maliciously charged plaintiff with larceny by saying "You have stolen a handkerchief from us and have it in your pocket." Evidence showed that a clerk employed by defendant spoke this in English to plaintiff, who was Greek, and that another Greek-speaking clerk spoke this in Greek to plaintiff.