Rev. Al Poisson insists that, while visiting a man in the hospital, he made an innocent joke about the lack of a smile on a guard’s face. Security cameras then capture at least five officers whaling on the minister — though Poisson insists that some of the film has been cut out.
St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center insisted that “the response to the aggression was appropriate.” Yet, the original charges of assault against Poisson were thrown out of court.
He is now pursuing legal action in tort. This would include liability for the hospital through both direct and vicarious liability. Normally, violence by an employee is outside of the scope of employment. However, security officers are generally an exception, particularly when the hospital later endorses their actions.
For the pictures from CBS Early Show, click here.
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