Pursuant to 5 T H C IR . R . 47 .5, the court has determined that this opinion should * not be publishe d and is not precedent except under the limited circu mstance s set forthin 5 T H C IR . R . 47 .5.4. 

### INTHE UNI TED S TATESCOU RT OFAPPEALS

FORTHEFIFTH CIRCU IT

N o. 09- 60103 Su m m ar y Cal endar

EDDI E M CKI NN EY P l a i n tiff - A p p ell a n t v. BOLIVAR M EDI CAL CENT ER D efen da n t- A pp el l ee

A p p ea lf

rom the U n i tedS tates D i stri ct C ou rt f o rt he N o r t he r n Di s t r i c to f M i s s i s s i ppi U SD C N o. 3: 07- C V

- 209

B ef ore W IE N E R , ST E W A R T , an d C L E M E N T , C i rcui tJu dg es . P E R C U R IA M: * P l ai n t i f f

- A pp el l an tE dd i e M cK i n n ey ( “M cKi n n ey”) app eal s t h e di st ri ct
c o u r t ’ s g r a n to f

s u mma r yj u d g me n to n h i s r e t a l i a t i o n a n dd i s c r i mi n a t i o n c l a i ms aga i n sthi s f

orm er em pl oyer, D efen da n t
- A pp el l ee B ol ivar M e d ica lC en t er ( “ B o l iv a r” )
. F o rt h e f o l l o w i n gr e a s o n s , w e a f f i r m. United States Court of App eals Fifth Circuit 

### F I L E D Aug ust13, 2009 Cha rl es R. F ulb ru g e II I ClerkN o. 09- 60103

2 F A CT S A ND P ROC E E DI NGS M c K i nney, w ho i s bl ac k, bega n w or ki ng as a s pee c h t her api stf orB ol ivar i n 1998. I n 2005, M c K i nney’ s em pl oym entst at us changed f r om f ul lti m e t o “ as n eeded ” becau se, accor di n g t o B ol ivar, t h e servi ces provi ded by it s ot h er s peech th era p i st, S tep h a n i e H u tch i n son (“H u tch i n son ”) , w ere in gre a ter d em a n dw i th pa t i en t s and her perf orm an ce w as sup eri or t o M cKi n n ey’ s. M cKi n n ey al so t ook i s s u e wi t h h i s r e a s s i g n m e n tt o as m a l l e ro f f i c e a n dt h e n e w b i l l i n ga nd doc um ent at i on poli c i es i m pos ed on t he st af f

. I n Sept em ber2006, M c K i nney w as t erm i n ated for fai l i n g t o com pl y w i t h t h ese pol i ci es and m ak i n g u nj u st i f i ed accusati on s of

raci sm againsthi s s u pervi sors . I n Oc t o b e r2 0 0 6 , Mc Ki n n e yf il e dac h a r g e o f

d i s c r i mi n a t i o n wit h t h e E EO C
u n der t h e E qu alP ay A ct , argu i n g t h at H u t chi n son receiveda higher paybased
on h er sex. H e later a m en d ed h i s ch a rg e w i th a claim tha t t h e w a ge disp a ri ty
wa s d u e t o h i s r a c e . Af t e ro b t a i n i n gh i s r i g h tt o s u e n o t i c e f r o m t h e EEOC, Mc K i n n e yf

i l e dt h i s l a w s u i ti n O c t o b e r2 0 0 7
. H i s s t a t e a n df e d e r a lc l a i ms a g a in s t B o liv a rin c lu d e ra c e d is c r im in a tio n a n dr e ta lia tio n u n d e r4 2 U .S .C . § 19 81 , t hus c i r c um ve nt i ng Ti t l e VI I ’ s r e quir e m e ntt hatdi s c r i m i nat i o n a nd ret al ia tion cl ai m s be f i rstrai sed bef

ore t h e E E O C
. Th e di st ri ctcourtgran t ed B o liv a r ’ s m o tio n fo rs u m m a r yju d g m e n t o n a ll o f M c K in n e y ’ s cla im s . O n a p p e a l, M cK i n n ey on l y cha l l en ges t h e di sm i ssalof hi s § 198 1 cla im s of race di s c r i m i nat i o n a nd r e t ali at i o n. S TA NDARD OF RE VI EW

“ T h i s c ou rtrevi ew s a di st ri ctcourt ’ s gran tof sum m ary j u dg m en tde n ovo, a p p l yin g th e sa m e lega lstan d a rd s as the distri ct cou rt. ” Con d rey v. S u n Trust Bank of G a. , 429 F
. 3d556 , 562 ( 5th C i r. 200 5)
. O n revi ew of a gran tof

sum m aryN o. 09- 60103

3 j u dg m en t , “[t]h e ev id e n ce a n din fer e n ce s fro m th e su m m a ryj u d g m e n t re co rdare view ed i n the l i gh t m ost fav ora b l e to th e n on m ov a n t. ” Mi n t er v. G reatA m . I n s. Co

. of N. Y. , 42 3 F. 3d4 60 , 4 65 ( 5t h Ci r . 2 00 5)
. Ty pi c all y, “ [ s ] um m ar y j udg m e nt i s pr o pe rw he n t he pl e ad i ngs , t he di s c o ve r y anddi s c l o s ur e m at e r i al s o n f i l e , a nd anya f f i da vit s s ho w t hatt he r e i s no g e nui ne i s s ue a s to a ny m at e r i alfac ta nd th a t t h e m ov a n t i s en ti tl ed to j u d gm en t a s am a tter o f l a w . ” K an e v. Nat’

lUn i on Fi re Ins. Co. , 5 3 5 F .3 d3 8 0 , 3 8 4 ( 5 th C ir . 2 0 0 8 ) (in te r n a l q u o ta tio n s o m itt e d); see als o F ED . R. C IV . P. 5 6 (c). DI S CU S S I ON F ir s t, M c K in n e ya r g u e s t h a t t h e d is tr ic t c o u r t im p r o p e r lyd is m is s e dh is
c l a i m o f r ac e di sc r i m i nat i on. To es t abl i sh a pri m a f aci e case of

di scr i m i n ati on und er§ 1981, a pl ai nt i f f m ust sho w : ( 1) m em ber shi p i n a pro t ec t ed c l as s; ( 2) t hat he w as q uali f

i e d for t he po s i t i o n; ( 3) t hathe s uf fe r e d a n a dv e r s e e m pl o ym e nt act i on ; an d ( 4) t h at he w as repl aced bya person ou t si de h is protec t ed cl ass. D e Cor t ev . Jo r dan, 49 7 F
. 3 d4 3 3 , 4 3 7 (5th C i r. 2 0 0 7 ). T h e b u rd en the n sh i ft s to th e em p l oy er to a rti cu l a te “a l eg i ti m a te, n on d i scrim i n a toryrea son ” f or it s e m p lo y m e n t a c tio n . Id
. If the em pl oyer m eet s t h i s burd en , t h e pl ai n t i f f bears t h e f i n albu rden of

provi n g t h at th e em pl oyer’ s prof fered reason i s a pret ext f or di s c r i m i nat i o n— e i t he rt hr o ughev i de nc e of di s pa r at e t r e at m e ntorb y s ho w i ng th a t th e e m p lo y e r ’ s e x p la n a tio n is fa ls e o ru n w o r th yo f c r e d e n c e . Lax t o n v . G ap Inc. , 3 3 3 F .3d 5 7 2 , 5 7 8 (5t h C ir. 2 0 0 3 ). W e w i l lassum e , a s t h e di st ri ctcourtdi d, t h at M cKi n n ey m ad e a proper p rim afa cies how i ng of r ac e di sc r i m i nat i on. W e a gr ee w i t h t he di st r i c tc our tt hat B ol ivar m eti t s bur d e n b yof feri n g t w o non di scr i m i n ator y reasons f or t e r m in a t in gM c K in n e y . B o liv a rh a s p r e s e n t e da m p le e v id e n c e o f M c K i n n e y ’sN o. 09- 60103

4 poo rw or k per f

or m ance , i n cl u d i ng hi s ove r - bi l l i ng of pat i ent s on s eve r al
o c c as i o ns a nd hi s fail ur e t o c o m ply w i t h Boliva r ’ s do c um e nt at i o n po l i c i e s , a nd f u rt h er al l eges t h at M cK in n e ym ad e unj u st i f i ed accusa t i on s of

raci sm against h i s s u pervi sors . M cKi n n ey h as not show n t h at th e perf orm an ce based j ust i f i c at i on f ort er m i nat i ng hi m w as pr et ext ual ; i n fac t , he do es notev en appea r to c h a lle n g e B o liv a r ’ s a lle g a tio n s re g a r d in gh is p e r fo r m a n c e . T h is a lo n e w o u ld b e re a s on en ou gh to d i sm i ss th e discri m i n a ti on cl a i m b eca u se a p l a i n tiff is req u i red to reb u t each n on d i scrim i n a toryrea son a rti cu l a tedb y h i s em p l oy er to
ca rryh i s bu rd en of d em on stratingpr etex t. Se ei d. W i t h res pect t o B ol ivar’ s cl ai m t h at h e i m properl y accused h i s s u peri ors of raci sm , M cKi n n ey den i es ever m ak i n g such st atem en t s. H ow ever, regardl ess o f w h e th e rM c K in n e ym a d e th e a lle g e da c c u s a tio n s , th e re le v a n t is s u e is
w he t he rBol i var bel i e ve d i n g o o d fait h t hats uc h a c c us ati o ns w e r e m ad e a nd
w h e t h e rM c K in n e yw a s tr u lyte r m in a te db a s e do n th a t g o o dfa ith b e lie f. S ee W ag go ne rv . Ci tyof

G ar land, 9 87 F. 2d1 16 0, 1 16 5– 66 ( 5t h Ci r . 1 99 3) (ho l di ng t hatapl ai nt i f

f ha s no tde m o ns t r at e d t hatt he em pl o ye r ’ s re as o n f o rt e r m i nat i ng hi m w as pr et ext ualif t he em pl oye rr eas onably be l i eve d t he c om pl ai ntof s exual h arassm en tl odg ed ag ai n stt h e pl ai n t i f f an d acted on i tin good fai t h )
. E ven assum i n g t h at M cKi n n ey’ s s u pervi sors fal sely report ed the accusati on s of
ra ci sm , M cK i n n eyh a s off ere dn o ev i d en ce t h a t B oliva r k n ew or h a drea son to b e lie v e th a t t h e s e a c c u s a tio n s w e r e fa b r ic a te d
. M c K i nne y c l ai m s t hat , e ve n if Boliva ri t s e l f

w as i nno c e nto f

a ny di sc r i m i nat or y i nt ent , hi s su p ervi so r s’di sc r i m i nat or y at t i t udes sho ul d be i m pu t ed to B ol ivar. I n deed , an em pl oyer m ay be h el d l i able i f it “act ed as a
r ubb e rs t am p, o rt he ‘ c at ’ s p aw ’for[ a s upe rvi s o r ’ s ] pr ej udi c e , e ve n if t heN o. 09- 60103

5 [ e m p lo y e r] la c k e dd is c r im in a to r yin te n t.” Rus s e l lv . McKi nneyHo s p. Ve nt u re, 235 F
. 3d219 , 227 ( 5th C i r. 2 000 ) (quotati on om i t t ed). H ow ever, i n order t o use t he “ c at’ s p aw ” a nalys i s , apl ai nt i f f m us ts ho w t hatt he s upe rvi s o rw ho i n f l u en ced t h e adv erse em pl oym en tact i on exh ib ited “di scr i m i n ator y an i m u s” to w a r d s h im
. I

d. M cKi n n ey h as provi ded no evi den ce t h at hi s s u pervi sors act ed w i t h race- based an im u s i n com pl ai n i n g t h at M cKi n n ey h adcal l ed them raci st s. I n fact , M cKi n n ey t est i f i ed th a t h e n ever hea rd raci alcom m en t s or w i t nes sed h i s w hi t e c o- w or ker s bei ng t r eat ed dif fer ent l y w hi l e e m pl oye d at B ol ivar . Therei s t her ef or e no “ di sc r i m i nat ory ani m us” on the par tof B ol ivar e m p lo y e e s th a tc o u ld b e im p u t e dto B o liv a r . A c c o r d in g ly , M c K in n e y ’s d i scrim i n a ti on cl a i m fa i l s an dw a s p rop erly d i sm i sse dbythe distri ct cou rt. N e x t, M c K in n e yco n te n d s th a t t h e d is tr ic t c o u r te r r e dind is m is s in gh is cl ai m thathew ast e r m i nat e d in ret al i ati on f or al l eged l y accusi n g h i s s u pervi sors of r ac i sm . To e st abl i sh a pri m a f aci e ca se of re ta li a tion u n d e r § 1 9 8 1 , ap la in tiff
m u s t s h o w : (1 ) h e p a r tic ip a te dina n a c tiv ityp r o te c te db yT itle V II ; (2 ) h is
em pl oye rs ubj ec t ed hi m t o a n adver seem pl oym entac ti on ; and ( 3) a c ausal
c o n n e c tio n e x is ts b e tw e e n th e p r o te c te da c tiv ity a n d th e a d v e r s e a c tio n . D a v is
v . D a lla s A re aR a

p idTra n sit, 383 F
. 3d 309 , 319 ( 5th C i r. 200 4)
. “A n em pl oyee has e nga ge d i n a c t ivit y pr o t e c t e d b y Ti t l e VI I if [he ] ha s e i t he r( 1) ‘ o ppo s e d a ny practi ce m ad e an un l aw f u lem pl oym en tpra cti ce’by T i t l e V IIor ( 2) ‘ m ad e a c har ge , t e s t i f

i e d, a s s i s t e d, o rpa r t i c i pat ed i n a ny m anne ri n a n i nve s t i ga t i o n, p roce ed i n g, or he a ri n g’ u n d er T i tl e V II. ” L o ngv. Ea stfieldCo ll. , 88 F. 3d 300, 304 (5 th C ir . 1 9 9 6 ) (q u o tin g 4 2 U .S .C
. § 2 0 0 0 e -3 (a )). M c K in n e y c o n c e d e s th a t h e d id notengag e i n any pr ot ec t ed ac t ivi t y. N e v e r th e le s s , h e a lle g e s th a t B o liv a rre ta lia te da g a in s t h im b e c a u s e itN o. 09- 60103

6 bel i evedt h a th e wa s e n g a g i n gi n p r o t e c t e da c t iv i t ya n dt h a ts uc h a
m is p e r c e p tio n s u f

f i c e s fo rare ta lia tio n cla im
. Se eFoge l m an v . Me r cyHo s p. In c ., 283 F
. 3d561 , 571 –72 ( 3dC i r. 200 2) (h ol di n g t h at a pl ai n tiff ’ s r et al i ati on c la im is co g n iz a b le e v e n inth e a b s e n c e o f p r o t e c t e da c tiv ity , a s lo n ga s h is
em pl oyer perceivedhi m t o be en gag ed i n such act ivi t y)
. A s noted by the di st ri ct
c o ur t , t he Fi f

t h Ci r c ui tha s no ta do pt e d t hi s pe r c e pt i o n t h e o r y o f r e t ali at i o n. F u rth erm ore , n oth i n g i n the reco rdsu gg ests th a t B oliva r be l i ev ed M cK i n n eyto b e e n g a g e di n p r o t e c t e da c t iv i t yo rt h a t i t t e r mi n a t e d h i m f o rt h a tr e a s o n . O n t he c ont r ar y, t he e vi d en ce suppor t s B olivar ’ s as se r t i on t hatM c K i nney w as t erm i n ated du e t o hi s poor w ork perf orm an ce an d h i s un f ou n ded accusati on s of
r ac i sm . A c c or di ngl y, s um m ar y j udgm enton M c K i nney’ s r et al i at i on c l ai m w as proper. CO NC L US I ON F o rth e fo r e g o in gre a s o n s , t h e ju d g m e n t o f th e d is tr ic t c o u r t is AF F I RMED.