A Principal’s Responsibility for the Actions of Their Agent

She has with her an umbrella which is the
same brand Big Mart carries. When a Big Mart employee, Steve, sees her
leave with the umbrella without going through the checkout lane, he asks
her to come back into the store. Steve says that he thinks Karen is
shoplifting the umbrella. Karen tells him that she has had the umbrella
for years and shows him marks of wear and tear. Steve apologizes and
tells Karen she is free to go. Can Karen successfully sue for false
imprisonment or defamation? From what you have learned about the
relationship between a principal and an agent, analyze whether Steve or
Big Mart could be liable because of Steve’s actions.