Cunningham v. Shelton Security Service, Inc., 46 S.W.3d 131 (Tennessee Supreme Court-- March 1, 2001) (rehearing denied, May 2, 2001)
Robert Cunningham worked as a security guard at the Little Barn Deli and Market in Nashville. During the early morning hours of March 5,1992, three young men entered the store and apparently attempted to shoplift. Cunningham confronted the men and asked them to leave. A verbal confrontation ensued and things became heated, but violence did not erupt as Cunningham escorted the three men out of the store, although they threatened to return and kill Cunningham.
When Cunningham returned to the store, he soon began complaining about feeling …