Jack Bond, a renowned self-defense instructor working for a local community recreation center, wished to give a real life learning experience to his students. Unbeknownst to his class, Bond decided that he would surreptitiously pay an actor to come in to the middle of one of his classes and attack Bond. Then, Bond could show his class how to defend themselves in a real-world setting.

The actor, Christie Steeple, showed up one evening to class. She entered via the side door and immediately began screaming at Bond that he was a “no-good man” and that “he was going to get what he had coming to him.” She then charged at him and began to choke him.

As he was being choked and was about to demonstrate his self-defense tactics, one of his students, Kelly Knight, ran forward and attempted to stab Steeple with a pen in an effort to protect her teacher. Unfortunately, because Knight is new to class, she had bad aim and missed Steeple – striking another student, Larry Lark, in the leg. However, Bob Eagen has been a member of the class for months. He used a manipulative technique to throw Steeple down to the ground and while doing so broke her arm.

As Bond feared, several students did not know how to react to what they perceived as an actual attacker. They cowered in fear in corners screaming and sobbing and required months of intensive counseling after the incident in order to regain their confidence.

Sadly, one of the students, Sandy Slep, was so devastated after watching what she believed was an actual attack that she fled the building. She sprinted across the street and was struck by a car – killing her instantly.

Additionally, analyze the following scenarios:

  • Does Steeple have a successful claim against Bond? On what basis?
  • Would Steeple have a successful claim against Eagen? On what basis?
  • Does Lark have any successful claims against Knight? Against Bond?
  • Do any of the students who fled into corners have successful claims and against whom?
  • What claims revolve around Sandy Slep and against whom?

Lastly, be sure to analyze what types of damages would be awarded in successful claims and why those damages are appropriate.