### F I LE D

. U. S . COURT OF AP PE ALS E LEVE NTH CI RCUI T D E C E M B E R 20, 2006 T HOM AS K. KAHN C L E RK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 06- 12999 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 4 - 0 2 5 8 8 - C V- T - 3 0 T GW R O N A L D M C C A L I S T E R , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s H I L L S B O R O U G H C O U N T Y S H E R I F F , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lle e .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe M i ddl e D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( D e c e m b e r 20, 2006) B efo re T JO F L A T , C A RN E S an d H U L L , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: R on al d M cC al i st erappeal s f rom the di stri ctcourt ’ s grantof sum m ary2

j udgm e nti n f

a vorof the H i l l s bor ough C ountyS he r i f f i n hi s e m pl oy m e nt di s c r i m i na t i on l a w s ui tf i l e d pur s ua ntt o T i t l e V I I of the C i vi l R i ght s A c tof 1964, 42 U . S . C . § 2000e - 2( a ) . M c C a l i s t e rr a i s e s tw o i s s ue s on appe a l : ( 1) w he the rthe d is tr ic t c o u rt e rr e d in f

in d in g th a t h e f

a ile d to p r e s e n t a n ye v id e n c e o f s im ila r ly si tuat ed em pl oyee s w ho re ce i ved l es s s ever e di sc i pl i ne i n sup po rtof hi s T i t l e V II r a c e di s c r i m i na t i on c l a i m ; a nd 2) w he the rthe di s tr i c tc ourte rr e d i n gr a nt i ng s um m a ry j udgm e ntba s e d on i t s f i ndi ng tha the f

a i l e d t o e s t abl i s h tha tthe l egi t i m at e, no n-di sc ri m i nat ory r ea sons offe re d t o sup po rthi s t erm i nat i on w er e p r e te x tu a l. B e c au s e w e a g r e e w ith th e d is tr ic t c o u rt th a t M c C a lis te rf a ile d to pres entany e vi dence of s i m i l ar l y s i tuat ed em pl oyee s w ho re ce i ved l es s s ever e di sc i pl i ne, w e nee d o nl y r ea ch the fi rs ti ss ue. I. M c C a l i s t e r , w ho i s bl a c k, w orke d f orthe H i l l s bor ough C ountyS he r i f f f r om J une 1994 unt i l M a r c h 2003. H e oc c a s i ona l l yw orke d of f - dutyl a w e nf

or c e m e nt as si gn m ent s pursuantt o a contra ctbetw ee n the S heri ff and the U ni t ed S t at es C e ntr a l C om m a nd. C e ntr a l C om m a nd hi r e d the S he r i f f t o pr ovi de c ont i nuous s e c ur i ty c ove r a ge f

orm i l i t a ry pe r s onne l l i vi ng a tthe S O H O apartm e nt s i n H y de P a rk. O n D ec em ber 16, 20 02 , M cC al i st erw as as si gn ed t o w ork an ei gh tho ur off-3

d u tys h if t b e g in n in g a t 1 1 :0 0 p .m . a n d e n d in g a t 7 :0 0 a .m . th e f o llo w in g d a y . S h o rtlya f

te r4 :0 0 a .m ., M c C a lis te rle f t h is a s s ig n m e n t w ith o u t p e rm is s io n to s o c ia liz e w ith af

e m a le a c q u a in ta n c e tw e lv e m ile s a w a y . M c C a lis te rd r o v e h is patrol car t o h i s hom e, fi ft ee n m i nu t es aw ay , w here he pu ton a bl ac k sw ea t shi rt ov erhi s patrol un i form and g oti nt o h i s per sonal vehi cl e. H e then d rove t o m ee t hi s a cquai nt ance . B e f o r e M c C a lis te rm e t u p w ith th e w o m a n , h e w a s p u lle d o v e rb yD e p u ty T im o th y L o c k e . T h e tw o m e n d is a g r e e o n th e d e ta ils o f th a t s to p , b u t D e p u ty L oc ke c ont e nds tha the ha d r e a s onabl e s us pi c i on t o s t op M c C a l i s t e r , a nd M c C a l i s t e rc ont e nds tha the w a s s t oppe d f or“ dr i vi ng w hi l e bl a c k. ” L oc ke di d not i ss ue a tra ff

i c c i t at i on or w arni ng . M cC al i st erl ef tthe sc ene of the st op , re turned h o m e , r e m o v e d h i s s we a t s h i rt , g o ti n h i s p a tr o l c a r , a n d r e tu rn e d t o th e S OH O ap a rtm e n ts b e tw e e n 5 :0 0 a n d 5 :1 5 a .m . I n th e m e a n tim e , L o c k e s p o k e w ith h is i m m edi at e s up ervi sor, C orpo ra l C ol l ado, i nform i ng hi m thathe had st op ped s o m e o n e w h o c la im e d to b e aS h e r if f’s D e p u tya n d d r o v e ac a rr e g is te r e d to

“ R on al d M cC al i st er . ” Co rp o r a l Co l l a d o , w h o u s e d t o w o rkw i th M c Ca l i s t e r , r e c o g n i z e d th e n a me a n d d e te rm in e d th a t M c C a lis te rw a s s u p p o s e d to b e a t th e S O H O ap a rtm e n ts . W he n C ol l a do a rr i ve d a tthe apa rtm e ntc om pl e x, he f ound M c C a l i s t e rt a l ki ng on4

th e p h o n e a n d o b s e rv e d th a t M c C a lis te rh a d s w itc h e d o f f h is p a tr o l c a rr a d io . M c C a lis te ra d m itte d to le a v in g h is p o s t, e x p la in in g th a t h e h a d le f t th e jo b to de l i ve rape r s ona l ve hi c l e t o af r i e nd. O n D e c e m be r17, M c C a l i s t e rs ubm i tt e d a s i gne d pa y f

orm i ndi c a t i ng tha the ha d c om pl e t e d af ul l e i ght - hours hi f

ton the p r e v io u s n ig h t. C o rp o r a l C o lla d o , m e a n w h ile , c a lle d th e o f f - d u tyc o o r d in a to rto in f o rm h im of the i nci dent . C ol l ado al so fi l l ed ou ta r eportw hi ch he gave t o the D i stri ct C o m m an d er. T h e D i stri ctC o m m an d er referred th e i n ci d en tt o In t ern al A ffai rs. O n January20 03 , Int ernal A ff ai rs concl ud ed thatM cC al i st erhad v i ol at ed si x S heri ff’ s O ff

i ce rul es : (1) l ea vi ng an as si gn ed w ork area , (2) negl i gence as soci at ed w i th saf

ety of per sons or prop erty, (3) f ai l ure t o fol l ow st andard ope r a t i ng pr oc e dur e , ( 4) f a l s i f i c a t i on of

of f i c i a l doc um e nt s , ( 5) f

a i l ur e t o r e s pond t o r a di o c a l l s , a nd ( 6) c onduc tunbe c om i ng am e m be rof the S he r i f

f’ s of f i c e . I n a d e p o s itio n , M c C a lis te ra d m itte d th a t h e k n e w h e s h o u ld n o t h a v e le f t h is a s s ig n m e n t w ith o u t p e rm is s io n , a d m itte d th a t h e lie d to C o lla d o r e g a r d in g h is r e a s ons f orl e a vi ng, a nd a dm i tt e d tha the kne w tha tthe purpos e of hi s a s s i gnm e nt w as t o p ro t ectm i l i t ary p erso n n el l i v i n g atth e ap artm en t s. T h e f o llo w in g m o n th , M a

jo rB ill D a v is c o n d u c te d ad is c ip lin a ryh e a r in g in w hi ch he concurred w i th Int ernal A ff ai rs as t o al l char ges, and agreed that5

M c C a l i s t e rs houl d be di s m i s s e d f r om the S he r i f

f’ s of f i c e . M c C a l i s t e rappe a l e d the di sc i pl i naryre com m endat i on t o the D i sc i pl i naryR evi ew B oard, w hi ch af fi rm ed the s a nc t i on. T he S he r i f f l a t e rof f e r e d M c C a l i s t e rthe opt i on of r e t i r i ng s o tha the coul d see k em pl oym entw i th ano ther a gency, and M cC al i st erac ce pt ed thatoffe r. II . W e r e vi e w de novo adi s tr i c tc ourt ’ s gr a ntof s um m a ryj udgm e nt , vi e w i ng a l l e vi de nc e i n the l i ghtm os tf a vor abl e t o the non- m ovi ng pa rty . S e e D r a go v. J e n n e , 4 5 3 F .3 d 1 3 0 1 , 1 3 0 5 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) . S u m m a ryju d g m e n t is ap p r o p r ia te w he n “ the pl e a di ngs , de pos i t i ons , a ns w e r s t o i nt e rr oga t or i e s , a nd a dm i s s i ons on f ile , to g e th e rw ith th e a f

f id a v its , if

a n y , s h o w th a t th e r e is n o g e n u in e is s u e a s to a ny m a t e r i a l f

a c ta nd tha tthe m ovi ng pa rtyi s e nt i t l e d t o aj udgm e nta s am a tt e rof l a w . ” M a dr a y v. P ubl i x S upe rm a rke t s , I nc . , 208 F . 3d 1290, 1296 ( 11th C i r . 2000) (quo t i ng F ed. R . C i v. P ro. 56 (c )) . U n d e rT itle V I I , it is u n la w f u l f o ra n e m p lo y e r“to d is c h a r g e a n yin d iv id u a l, o ro th e rw is e to d is c r im in a te a g a in s t a n yin d iv id u a l w ith r e s p e c t to h is com pensat i on , t erm s, cond i t i on s, or pri vi l eges of em pl oym ent , because of s uch i nd i vi du al ’ s r ac e . . . . ” 42 U . S . C . § 2 00 0e-2(a) (1). In eval uat i ng a T i t l e V II di s pa r a t e tr e a tm e ntc l a i m s upport e d byc i r c um s t a nt i a l e vi de nc e , w e us e the f r a me w o rke s t ab l i s h e d i n M c D o n n e l l D o u g l a s Co rp . v . G r e e n , 4 1 1 U . S. 7 9 2 , 9 3 S.6

C t . 18 17 (197 3). W i l son v . B / E A er ospace , Inc. , 37 6 F . 3d 10 79 , 10 87 (11th C i r. 2004) . “ U nde rthi s f

r a m e w ork, the pl a i nt i f

f f i r s tha s the bur de n of

e s t abl i s hi ng a pr i m af a c i e c a s e of

di s c r i m i na t i on, w hi c h c r e a t e s ar e butt abl e pr e s um pt i on tha tthe e m pl oy e ra c t e d i l l e ga l l y . ” I d. a t1087. A pri m a f

ac i e c as e of di spar at e tre atm enti s e st abl i shed w hen the pl ai nt i ff dem on stra t es thathe w as “ a qual i fi ed m em ber of aprot ec t ed cl as s and w as subj ec t ed t o an adv er se em pl oym entac t i on i n con tra stw i th si m i l ar l y s i tuat ed e mp l o y e e s o u t s i d e th e p r o t e c t e d c l a s s . ” I d . “ Th e me th o d s o f p r e s e n t i n g ap r i ma f a c i e c a s e a r e notf

i xe d; the y a r e f

l e xi bl e a nd de pe nd t o al a r ge de gr e e upon the em pl oym entsi tuat i on . ” W i l son, 37 6 F . 3d at10 87 . “ In ca se s i nv ol vi ng al l eged r a c ia l b ia s in th e ap p lic a tio n o f d is c ip lin e f

o rv io la tio n o f

w o rkru le s , th e p la in tif f ,” w ho m us tbe am e m be rof apr ot e c t e d c l a s s , m us tde m ons tr a t e “ ( a ) tha the di d not vi ol at e the w ork rul e, or (b) thathe engaged i n m i sc on du ctsi m i l art o thatof a pers on ou t si de the prot ec t ed cl as s, and thatthe di sc i pl i narym ea sure s e nforced a ga i ns thi m w e r e m or e s e ve r e tha n thos e e nf or c e d a ga i ns tthe othe rpe r s ons w ho engaged i n si m i l arm i sc on du ct . ” J on es v. G erw ens, 87 4 F . 2d 15 34 , 15 40 (11th C i r. 1 9 8 9 ) . A p la in tif

f is s im ila r lys itu a te d to a n o th e re m p lo y e e o n lyif “th e q u a n tity and q ual i ty of the com para t or’ s m i sc on du ct[are ] near l y i dent i ca l . ” B urke-F ow l er v. O r a nge C ounty , F l a . , 447 F . 3d 1319, 1323 ( 11th C i r . 2006) ( c i t i ng M a ni c c i av.7

B r o w n , 1 7 1 F .3 d 1 3 6 4 , 1 3 6 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) ) ( in te rn a l q u o ta tio n s o m itte d ) . T h is s t a nda r d pr e ve nt s “ c ourt s f r om s e c ond- gue s s i ng e m pl oy e r s ’ r e a s onabl e de c i s i ons and con fusi ng appl es w i th o rang es . " I d. at13 23 (c i t i ng M ani cc i a, 17 1 F . 3d at 13 68 )) (quo t at i on m arks om i tt ed). II I. T he S he r i f

f’ s O f f i c e f ound tha tM c C a l i s t e rha d c om m i tt e d s e ve r a l s e r i ous offe nses . H e aband on ed hi s postw i tho utno t i fy i ng anyone, l ef tm i l i t ary per sonn el an d th ei r p ro p erty u n secu red , l i ed t o a su p erv i si n g o ffi cer, an d su b m i tt ed a fal se doc um e nt . H e ha s noti de nt i f i e d ac om pa r a t orw ho e nga ge d i n aqua nt i tya nd q u a lityo f

m is c o n d u c t s im ila rto h is o w n w ith o u t b e in g d is m is s e d f r o m th e f o r c e . M cC al i st er i d en t i fi ed th e fo l l o w i n g em p l o yees as p o t en t i al co m p arat o rs: C a rm i ne P i s a no, M i c ha e l L oc ke , T hom a s K e l l y , T hom a s H i l l , A l L ui s , H ugh Cr a wf o r d , Ri c h a r d Di b i t o n t o , Sh a r o n St e p n o ws k i , Em a n u e l Fe l l e r , Pau l Da v i s , Ed R ochel l e, and D ou gl as R i char ds. O f these i nd i vi du al s, al l brok e one, tw o, or three of the s a m e rul e s a s M c C a l i s t e r . N one br oke a l l s i x. M cC alister p o in ts to fiv e e m p lo ye es w h o alleg ed ly co m m itted M cC alister’s m ostse ri ou s vi ol at i on — l ea vi ng an off- du ty a ss i gn m entm i d-shi ft

— bu toffe rs doc um e nt a t i on a nd s pe c i f i c i nf orm a t i on aboutonl yone , M i c ha e l L oc ke . I n 1997, L oc ke w a s s us pe nde d f

or15 da y s f

or“ O f f - D utyW ork, ” “ C a r e l e s s ne s s w i thout8

L o s s ,” a n d “N o t F o llo w in g S O P ,” b u t M c C a lis te rp r e s e n te d n o f u rth e rd e ta ils aboutL oc ke ’ s m i s c onduc t . I n 2002, L oc ke r e c e i ve d aw r i tt e n r e pr i m a nd f or

“ F a i l ur e t o R e portf

orD uty D ue t o I m pr ope rC onduc t . ” A ha ndw r i tt e n not a t i on n e x t to th e a lle g a tio n r e a d s “m o to r c y c le c r a s h .” E v e n o v e r lo o k in g th e p o s s ib ility th a t L o c k e m is s e d w o rkb e c au s e h e w a s in am o to rv e h ic le a c c id e n t w h ic h w a s h is fau l t , a fai l u re t o rep o rtfo r d u ty i s n o tm at eri al l y i d en t i cal t o d ep art i n g o n e’ s p o st m id - s h if t f o ratry s t, le a v in g m ilita ryp e r s o n n e l a n d p r o p e rtyu n g u a r d e d , ly in g to a nothe rof

f i c e rabouti t , a nd the n s ubm i tt i ng af a l s e doc um e ntr e que s t i ng pa y m e nt for the troub l e. M cC al i st er ’ s transgres si on s, un l i ke L ocke’ s t ar di ness , w er e m u ltip le , in c lu d e d a n e le m e n t o f d e c e p tio n , a n d e n d a n g e r e d m ilita ryp e r s o n n e l. M c C a l i s t e ri de nt i f

i e s onl y one e m pl oy e e c ha r ge d w i th a s m a nya s thr e e of the sa m e s i x o ff

ense s he c om m i tt ed. In 20 04 , the S heri ff’ s O ff i ce brou gh tchar ges agai nstC arm i ne P i sano for f al si fy i ng 12 9 d ocum ent s, fa i l ure t o fol l ow st andard o p e r a tin g p r o c e d u r e , a n d c o n d u c t u n b e c o m in g am e m b e ro f th e S h e r if

f’s o f f ic e . T h e S h eri ff su sp en d ed P i san o fo r 1 6 8 d ays. W h i l e fal si fi cat i o n o f d o cu m en t s i s a s e r i ous of

f e ns e , P i s a no r e c e i ve d ne a r l yf i ve m onths of

s us pe ns i on, a nd the r e i s no i ndi c a t i on tha tP i s a no w e nton af r ol i c m i d- s hi f

torl e f tm i l i t a rype r s onne l a nd prop erty ung uarded, there by endang er i ng them . F urtherm ore, P i sano com m i tt ed th r e e o f f e n s e s , n o t s ix . P is a n o ’s m is c o n d u c t is th u s n o t “n e a r lyid e n tic a l” to9

M cC al i st er’ s. V i ew i ng the evi dence i n the l i gh tm ostfa vo rabl e t o M cC al i st er , he has f ai l ed t o pr e s e nta ny e vi de nc e of s i m i l a r l ys i tua t e d e m pl oy e e s w ho w e r e notm e m be r s of a prot ec t ed cl as s, bu tw ho re ce i ved l es s s ever e di sc i pl i narysanct i on s. T here fore , he ha s f a i l e d t o e s t abl i s h apr i m af a c i e c a s e of

T i t l e V I I di s c r i m i na t i on. S e e D r a go, 453 F . 3d 1305; s e e J one s , 874 F . 2d a t1540. T he di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s de c i s i on t o gr a nt S heri ff’ s m ot i on for s um m ary j ud gm entw as approp ri at e. S ee M adray, 20 8 F . 3d at 1296; s e e W i l s on, 376 F . 3d a t1092. AF F I RME D.