T hi s di s pos i t i on i s notappr opr i a t e f orpubl i c a t i on and i s notpr e c e de nt * e xc e pta s pr ovi de d by 9th C i r . R . 36- 3.

Th e H o n o r ab l e Th o ma s S. Zi l l y , Se n i o rD i s tr i c tJ u d g e f o rth e U . S. ** D i s tr i c tC ourtf

orthe W e s t e rn D i s tr i c tof W a s hi ngt on, s i tt i ng by de s i gna t i on. NOT F OR P UB L I CAT I ON UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E N IN T H C IR C U IT FRED ERI CK SCH I FF, P la in tif

f - A p p e lla n t, v. T HE C I T Y A ND C OU NT Y O F S AN FRA N CI SCO ; SA N FRA N CI SCO POLI CE DEPART M ENT; HEATHER F O N G , Indi vi du al l y and i n h eroffi ci al capaci ty a s C hi ef

of the S an F ranci sc o P o lic e D a rth m e n t, D efen d an t s - A p p el l ees. N o. 11- 17291 D . C . N o . 4 : 0 8 -cv -0 4 6 2 7 -P JH ME MOR AN DU M *

A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e N o rth e rn D is tr ic t o f C a lif o rn ia P hy l l i s J . H a m i l t on, D i s tr i c tJ udge , P r e s i di ng A r gue d a nd S ubm i tt e d M a y 16, 2013 S a n F r a n c is c o , C a lif

o rn ia B ef ore: M cK E O W N and W A T F O R D , C i rc ui tJudg es , and Z IL L Y , S eni or D i stri ct Judg e. ** 

# FI LED JU N 18 2013 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS2

F r e de r i c k S c hi f

f appe a l s f

r om the di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s or de rgr a nt i ng am ot i on f or s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t b y th e C ity a n d C o u n ty o f S a n F r a n c is c o ( th e “C ity ” ) a n d its form erC hi ef

of P ol i ce H ea ther F on g, and d enyi ng S chi ff’ s m ot i on for part i al s um m a ry j udgm e nt . W e ha ve j ur i s di c t i on pur s ua ntt o 28 U . S . C . § 1291. A f t e rde n o v o rev i ew o f th e ev i d en ce i n th e l i g h tm o stfav o rab l e t o th e n o n -m o v i n g p arty, w e a f f i rm. S chi ff , an offi ce r i n the S an F ranci sc o P ol i ce D epartm ent(“ S F P D ”) , al l eges thathe w as subj ec tt o adv er se em pl oym entac t i on s bec ause the C i ty di sc ri m i nat ed agai nsthi m on the basi s of r ac e and re t al i at ed agai nsthi m for hi s pri or ra ce d is c r im in a tio n c o m p la in ts a n d la w s u it, in v io la tio n o f 4 2 U .S .C . § § 1 9 8 1 a n d 1 9 8 3 . A l though the s e tt l e m e ntof S c hi f f’ s pr i orl a w s ui tr e l e a s e d the C i ty f r om l i abi l i ty f

or th e a d o p t i o n o f

“ b a n d i n g ” i n m a k i n g p r o m o t i o n s f r o m th e 2 0 0 5 l i e u t e n a n t s l i s t , we a gr e e w i th S c hi f

f tha ti tdi d notpr e ve nthi m f r om r e l y i ng on the C i ty ’ s us e of b a n d in g a s e v id e n c e h e r e . Se e R K V e n tu r e s , I

n c . v . C ity o

f Se a ttle , 307 F . 3d 1045, 10 62 (9th C i r. 20 02 ). A ss um i ng thatS chi ff

es t abl i shed a pri m a f

ac i e c as e of di sc ri m i nat i on un der the bur de n s hi f

t i ng f r a m e w ork s e tf

or th i n McD on nel l

D ou glas C orp. v. G re en , 411 U . S . 79 2, 80 2-04 (197 3), hi s c l ai m s f ai l because the C i ty i ntrodu ce d evi dence dem on stra t i ng thatS chi ff w as no tprom ot ed for l egi t i m at e, no n-di sc ri m i nat ory3

r e a s ons , a nd S c hi f

f ha s f a i l e d t o i ntr oduc e e vi de nc e tha tw oul d r a i s e age nui ne q u e s tio n o f

m a te r ia l f

a c t a s to w h e th e rth e C ity ’s p r o f f e r e d r e a s o n s w e r e p r e te x tu a l. See V illia r im o v . A lo h a I

s la n d A ir, I n c ., 2 8 1 F .3 d 1 0 5 4 , 1 0 6 2 - 6 4 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) . A m o n g th e c o n s id e r a tio n s in d e te rm in in g p r o m o tio n s w a s d is c ip lin a ry h is to ry . S c hi f f ha d s e ve r a l di s c i pl i na ry c ha r ge s pe ndi ng a ga i ns thi m a tthe t i m e of the O ct ob er20 08 prom ot i on s, i ncl ud i ng on e f or negl ec tof du ty thatw as sust ai ned af t ertw o app ea l s. C hi ef

F on g al so st at ed addi t i on al spec i fi c and w el l -docum ent ed r e a s o n s c o n c e rn in g S c h if f’s c o n d u c t a n d ju d g m e n t. O n ce th e C i ty h as p ro v i d ed n o n -d i scri m i n at o ry reaso n s fo r th e ad v erse a c t i o n , th e “ th e p r e s u m p t i o n o f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n ‘ d r o p s o u to f th e p i c tu r e , ’ ” a n d we d e te rm in e b a s e d o n th e e v id e n c e in th e r e c o r d w h e th e rar e a s o n ab le ju ry c o u ld c o n c lu d e th a t d e f

e n d a n ts d is c r im in a te d a g a in s t S c h if f o n th e b a s is o f

r a c e . See C ornw e l l v . E le c tr a C e nt . Cr e di t

U ni on , 439 F . 3d 1018, 1028 ( 9th C i r . 2006) ( quot i ng R ee ves v . Sa nder son P lum bi ngP rods. , Inc. , 5 3 0 U .S . 1 3 3 , 1 4 3 ( 2 0 0 0 ) ) . S c hi f f w a s unabl e t o i de nt i f

y as i ngl e of

f i c e rw ho w a s pr om ot e d w ho ha d r e c e nt di s c i pl i na ry c ha r ge s . I ti s note nough f orS c hi f f t o m e r e l y poi ntouttha tanonw h ite c a n d id a te r a n k e d b e lo w h im w a s p r o m o te d a n d h e w a s n o t. W i th regard t o ret al i at i on , S chi ff has f ai l ed t o i ntrodu ce evi dence e s tab lis h in g ac au s a l lin kb e tw e e n th e p r o te c te d a c tiv ity a n d th e a d v e r s e a c tio n .4

M an at t v. B an k of

A m er i ca , 339 F . 3d 792, 800- 04 ( 9th C i r . 2003) . “ [ I ] n the l i ght o f th e tim in g a n d th e s u rr o u n d in g c ir c u m s ta n c e s ,” th e d is tr ic t c o u rt d id n o t e rrin de t e rm i ni ng tha tthe f

i ve y e a r s be tw e e n the f

i l i ng of S c hi f f’ s l a w s ui ti n 2003 a nd the a l l e ge d r e t a l i a t i on i n 2008 unde rm i ne d the r e qui r e d c aus a l l i nk be tw e e n the p r o te c te d a c tiv ity a n d th e a d v e r s e e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n . A n th o i n e v. N . C en t . Cn t

ys. C ons or t i um , 605 F . 3d 740, 751 ( 9th C i r . 2010) ( quot i ng C oszal terv. C i t y of Sa lem , 3 2 0 F .3 d 9 6 8 , 9 7 7 - 7 8 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) ) ( in te rn a l q u o ta tio n m a rk s o m itte d ) . E ven ass um i ng S chi ff

es t abl i shed a pri m a f

ac i e c as e of r et al i at i on , he bears the bu rden of dem on stra t i ng thatthe C i ty’ s r ea sons w er e m er el y apret extfor a r e ta lia to ry m o tiv e . Se e R ay v . H e nde rs on , 2 1 7 F .3 d 1 2 3 4 , 1 2 4 0 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 0 ) . W i th r e ga r d t o the f

a i l ur e t o pr om ot e , S c hi f f f a i l e d t o i ntr oduc e e vi de nc e s uf f i c i e nt to s h o w p r e te x t; in f

a c t, C h ie f

F o n g k n o w in g ly p r o m o te d th r e e o th e rin d iv id u a ls i nvol ve d i n the s a m e l a w s ui tdur i ng the r e l e va ntt i m e pe r i od. W i th r e ga r d t o the s t a y - a w a y or de r , the c ons i s t e nts t a t e m e nt s a nd doc um e nt a ry e vi de nc e s upport i ng C a s h m an ’s ju s tif

ic a tio n a r e n o t m u tu a lly e x c lu s iv e o f C h ie f F o n g ’s e x p la n a tio n . T he fa ctthatthere w er e tw o l egi t i m at e j ust i fi ca t i on s f or the st ay -aw ayorder does n o t r e n d e re ith e ro n e u n w o rth y o f c r e d e n c e . See A r a g o n v . R e p u b lic S ilv e rS ta te D is pos al I nc . , 29 2 F . 3d 65 4, 66 1 (9th C i r. 20 02 ) ( ho l di ng that“ [w ] e do n oti nfer5

pr e t e xtf r om the s i m pl e f

a c ttha t[ the de f

e nda nt ] ha d tw o di f

f e r e nt , a l though c o n s is te n t, r e a s o n s ” f

o rth e a d v e r s e e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n ) . A l tho ug h the evi dent i ary burdens shi ftback and forth u nd erthe McD o n n e ll D ouglas fr am ew ork, the “ pl ai nt i ff re t ai ns the bu rden of persuas i on . ” T ex as D ep’t of Cm t y . A f f ai rs v . B urdi ne , 45 0 U . S . 24 8, 25 6 (19 81 ). S chi ff has noti ntrodu ce d evi dence s uffi ci entfor aj ury t o b e abl e c on cl ud e e i ther that“ a di sc ri m i nat ory re as on m ore l i kel y m ot i vat ed the em pl oyeror . . . thatthe em pl oyer ’ s proff er ed expl anat i on i s unw orthy of cr edence. ” Ch u a n gv . U n iv e rs ity o

f C a lifo rn ia D a v is , 225 F . 3d 1115, 1124 ( 9th C i r . 2000) ( i nt e rna l quot a t i on m a rks a nd c i t a t i on om i tt e d) . A c c or di ngl y , S c hi f f ha s f a i l e d t o “ de m ons tr a t e tha tthe pr of f e r e d r e a s on w a s n o t th e tru e r e a s o n f o rth e e m p lo y m e n t d e c is io n ” a n d h a s n o t c a rr ie d h is b u r d e n . B urdi ne , 450 U . S . a t256. E v e n if th e r e h a d b e e n ad is c r im in a to ry o rr e ta lia to ry a c tio n , th e C ity w o u ld notbe l i abl e be c aus e C hi e f F ong w a s notaf

i na l pol i c y m a ke rf

orthe purpos e s of h ir in g a n d p r o m o tio n s . See C lou thi er v . Cn ty . o f C o n tr a C o s ta , 591 F . 3d 1232, 1253 ( 9th C i r . 2010) ( not i ng tha t“ ‘ [ t ] o hol d c i t i e s l i abl e unde rs e c t i on 1983 w he ne ve rpol i c y m a ke r s f a i l t o ove rrul e the unc ons t i tut i ona l di s c r e t i ona ry a c t s of subo rdi nat es w ou l d si m pl y s m ug gl e r e s ponde at s upe r i orl i abi l i ty i nt o s e c t i on 1983 l a w ’ ” ( quot i ng G i l let te v. D elm o re , 97 9 F . 2d 13 42 , 13 48 (9th C i r. 19 92 ) ( per6

c u r ia m ) ) ) . N o rh a s S c h if f id e n tif ie d a n y u n la w f

u l C ity p o lic y . Se e i d. a t1 2 4 9 . We have consi dere d the do cum ent s S chi ff subm i tt ed w i th h i s m ot i on for j ud i ci al n o tic e . T h e m o tio n is D E N I E D a s u n n e c e s s a ry . See V on Sahe rv . N

or ton Si m on Mu seu m o

f A rt , 5 9 2 F .3 d 9 5 4 , 9 6 0 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 1 0 ) . AF F I R ME D.S c hi f

f v. C i ty a nd C ounty of

S a n F r a nc i s c o, N o. 11- 17291 Z I L L Y , S e n io rD is tr ic t J u d g e , c o n c u rr in g in p a rt a n d d is s e n tin g in p a rt: I a gr e e tha tC hi e f

F ong w a s notaf

i na l pol i c y m a ke rf

orpurpos e s of

hi r i ng and p rom ot i on . A s are sul t , the C i ty i s notl i abl e on S chi ff’ s c l ai m s. I a l so agre e tha t , notw i ths t a ndi ng the s e tt l e m e ntof S c hi f f’ s pr i orl a w s ui t , S c hi f

f w a s not prec l ud ed fr om re l yi ng on the C i ty’ s use of band i ng as evi dence i n thi s c as e. S c h if f a lle g e s h e w a s d is c r im in a te d a g a in s t b a s e d o n r a c e in c o n n e c tio n w ith h is e f f o rts to b e p r o m o te d to L ie u te n a n t in O c to b e r2 0 0 8 . T h e m a jo r ity c o rr e c tly a s s um e s S c hi f

f e s t abl i s he d apr i m af

a c i e c a s e of

di s c r i m i na t i on butc onc l ude s he fa i l ed t o i ntrodu ce evi dence thatw ou l d rai se a genui ne i ss ue of fa ctas t o w hether the C i ty ’ s pr of

f e r e d r e a s ons f

ornotpr om ot i ng hi m w e r e pr e t e xtua l . I di s a gr e e a nd w ou l d revers e the tri al court ’ s dec i si on t o g rantsum m ary j ud gm entagai nstS chi ff on hi s di sc ri m i nat i on and ret al i at i on cl ai m s. W hen thi s C ou rtre vi ew s adi stri ct c ourt ’ s or de rgr a nt i ng s um m a ry j udgm e nt , the C ourtm us tvi e w the r e c or d i n the lig h t m o s t f

a v o r ab le to th e n o n - m o v in g p a rty ( S c h if f ) a n d d r a w a ll r e a s o n ab le i nfer ence s i n favor of thatparty. U nd erthi s w el l -e st abl i shed st andard, the di stri ct co u rterred i n g ran t i n g su m m ary j u d g m en ti n fav o r o f th e d efen d an t s. A t th e tim e th is a c tio n w a s f ile d in O c to b e r2 0 0 8 , S c h if f w a s aS e r g e a n t in the S a n F r a nc i s c o P ol i c e D e pa rtm e nt( “ S F P D ” ) . S c hi f f i s w hi t e . S c hi f

f a nd 10 o th e ro f f ic e r s p r e v io u s ly s u e d th e C ity in 2 0 0 3 , a lle g in g r a c ia l d is c r im in a tio n in 

# FI LED JU N 18 2013 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALSappoi ntm e nt s m a de f r om the 1999 L i e ut e na nt - e l i gi bl e l i s t . S c hi f f’ s c urr e nta c t i on in v o lv e s th e f

a ilu r e to p r o m o te h im in O c to b e r2 0 0 8 b a s e d o n th e 2 0 0 5 L ie u te n a n te l i gi bl e l i s t . B a s e d on hi s e xa m i na t i on s c or e , S c hi f f w a s r a nke d 29 on al i s tof 152 in d iv id u a ls o n th e 2 0 0 5 L ie u te n a n t- e lig ib le lis t. U nde rthe C i ty ’ s pr a c t i c e of “ ba ndi ng, ” the f

i r s t11 c a ndi da t e s on the 2005 L ie u te n a n t- e lig ib le lis t w e r e p r o m o te d , a n d th e r e a f te ras lid in g b a n d w a s u s e d to f i l l the r e m a i ni ng s l ot s dow n t o the i ndi vi dua l r a nke d 66. I n the “ ba ndi ng” pr oc e s s , s e c onda ry c r i t e r i aw e r e a l s o c ons i de r e d, i nc l udi ng a s s i gnm e nt s , tr a i ni ng, e duc a t i on, s pe c i a l qua l i f i c a t i ons , c om m e nda t i ons , a w a r ds , bi l i ngua l c e rt i f i c a t i on, and d i sc i pl i ne hi st ory. S er geantG i tt ens, a m i no ri ty off i ce r r anked 6 6, w as prom ot ed t o L i eut enantov erS chi ff . S chi ff had a col l ege degree , had b ee n a w a r de d m e da l s of

va l or , s pe a ks af

or e i gn l a ngua ge , ha d be e n as e r ge a ntf or16 ye ar s, and h ad previ ou sl y bee n an “ ac t i ng ” L i eut enant . In contra st , G i tt ens had ei gh tye ar s a tthe ra nk of se rgea nt , and d i d n othave any of S chi ff’ s other q u al i fi cat i o n s. T h e p r a c tic e o f

“b a n d in g ” in m a k in g th e O c to b e r2 0 0 8 p r o m o tio n s w a s its e lf evi dence of di sc ri m i nat i on . Iti s und i sput ed that“ band i ng ” i s an S F P D prac t i ce u s e d to b o o s t th e n u m b e ro f m in o r ity c a n d id a te s e lig ib le f o rp r o m o tio n o v e rw h ite c a ndi da t e s . A s the m a

j or i ty a nd I a gr e e , thi s e vi de nc e of “ ba ndi ng” s houl d ha ve been consi dere d b y the di stri ctcourti n rul i ng on the m ot i on for s um m aryj ud gm ent , despi t e the se tt l em entof S chi ff’ s pri or l aw sui t . T he m aj ori ty and I part

w ay s c on ce rni ng w hether thi s e vi dence cr ea t ed a genui ne i ss ue of m at er i al fa ctas to p r e te x t. I a m p e r s u a d e d th a t th is e v id e n c e s u f f ic ie n tly d e m o n s tr a te d th e C ity fa vo re d m i no ri ty c andi dat es i n the prom ot i on al proces s s o as t o m ake s um m ary j udgm e nti nappr opr i a t e . M or e ove r , S c hi f f’ s s upe r i orqua l i f

i c a t i ons , s t a ndi ng a lo n e , w e r e e n o u g h to e s tab lis h aq u e s tio n o f f a c t r e la tin g to p r e te x t. T he C i ty c on t ends S chi ff w as no tprom ot ed because di sc i pl i narychar ges w e r e pe ndi ng a ga i ns thi m a tthe t i m e of the O c t obe r2008 pr om ot i ons , i nc l udi ng o n e f o rn e g le c t o f

d u ty . T h e C ity ’s r e lia n c e o n th e s e e v e n ts , w h ic h o c c u rr e d in la te S e p te m b e r2 0 0 8 , im m e d ia te ly b e f o r e th e O c to b e r2 0 0 8 s e le c tio n s , is h ig h ly suspec t . S chi ff

i nd i ca t es that , af

t erhe had b ee n an S F P D offi ce r f or m ore than 20 ye ar s w i tho utany di sc i pl i naryprob l em s, C apt ai n B arre ttfi l ed fi ve di sc i pl i nary vi ol at i on s a gai nsthi m on O ct ob er1, 20 08 , the day before C hi ef F on g ann ou nced a d d itio n a l p r o m o tio n s to L ie u te n a n t, a n d tw o d a y s b e f o r e th e 2 0 0 5 L ie u te n a n te l i gi bl e l i s te xpi r e d. C hi e f F ong di d notpr om ot e S c hi f f a l l e ge dl y be c aus e of

the fi ve vi ol at i on s f

i l ed by C apt ai n B arre tt , bu tC hi ef F on g adm i tt ed that , w i th res pect t o o ther c andi dat es , she l oo ked o nl y a ti nt ernal af fa i rs com pl ai nt s thathad b ee n su stain ed . A t th e tim e S ch iff w as p as se d o v erfo r p ro m o ti o n , C ap tain B ar re tt ’s char ges a gai nstS chi ff

w er e m er el y a l l egat i on s, and fou r of the fi ve al l eged vi ol a t i ons w e r e l a t e rf

ound t o be uns ubs t a nt i a t e d. S c hi f f c ont e nds tha ttheal l egat i on s a gai nsthi m w er e trum ped u p b y C apt ai n B arre ttt o cre at e adi sc i pl i nary

in f r a c tio n th a t w o u ld b lo c kh is p r o m o tio n . S c h if f h a s m a d e as u f

f ic ie n t s h o w in g to s urvi ve s um m a ry j udgm e nt , pr e s e nt i ng f a c tua l que s t i ons a s t o w he the rthe d is c ip lin a ry c h a r g e s w e r e m e r e ly p r e te x t. I a l s o di s a gr e e w i th the m a j or i ty ’ s de c i s i on t o a f

f i rm the di s m i s s a l of

the r e ta lia tio n c la im . S c h if f h a s h a d alo n g h is to ry o f c o m p la in ts a g a in s t th e S F P D . S c hi f f’ s pr i orl i t i ga t i on ( S c hi f f I ) , i ni t i a t e d i n 2003, i nvol ve d the s a m e “ ba ndi ng” pol i c y . T he m a

j or i ty c onc l ude s , I be l i e ve i nc orr e c t l y , tha tthe di s tr i c tc ourtdi d not err i n d et erm i ni ng thatthe fi ve ye ar s betw ee n the fi l i ng of S chi ff I and the fa i l ure t o pr om ot e S c hi f

f t o L i e ut e na nt , a l l e ge dl y a s ar e s ul tof r e t a l i a t i on, de s tr oy e d the r e qui r e d c aus a l l i nk be tw e e n the pr ot e c t e d a c t i vi ty a nd the a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nt a c t i on. O c t obe r2008 w a s C hi e f F ong’ s f i r s topportuni ty a f

t e rS c hi f f I t o de c i de w h eth erto p ro m o te S ch iff. T h is C ircu ith as ca u ti o n ed ag ain st en g ag in g in “a m e c ha ni c a l i nqui ry i nt o the a m ountof t i m e be tw e e n the [ pr ot e c t e d a c t i vi ty ] a nd the a lle g e d r e ta lia to ry a c tio n ” a n d h a s r e je c te d th e ap p lic a tio n o f a n y “b r ig h t- lin e ru le pr ovi di ng tha tac e rt a i n pe r i od of t i m e i s pe rs e t oo l ong t o s upporta n i nf e r e nc e of r e ta lia tio n .” A n th o in e v . N . C e n t. C o u n tie s C o n s o rtiu m , 6 0 5 F .3 d 7 4 0 , 7 5 1 ( 9 th C ir. 2 0 1 0 ). T h e c ircu m stan ce s o f th is ca se d o n o t su p p o rt th e d istrict co u rt’s r e l i a nc e on the pa s s a ge of t i m e , pa rt i c ul a r l y i n l i ghtof the f a c ttha tnone of

the f i ve othe rS c hi f

f I pl a i nt i f

f s on the 2005 L i e ut e na nt - e l i gi bl e l i s tw e r e pr om ot e d byC hi e f

F ong i n 2008. S um m a ry j udgm e nton the r e t a l i a t i on c l a i m s houl d notha ve be e n gr a nt e d. F o rth e f o r e g o in g r e a s o n s , I m u s t r e s p e c tf u lly d is s e n t.