Opinion ID: 780416
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Individual Defendant's Claims

Text: 32 Jensen also asserts that the individual defendants conspired to deprive her of her civil rights in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1985. To prove a constitutional conspiracy, Jensen must prove an agreement between the conspirators, by pointing to at least some facts which would suggest that appellees reached an understanding to violate her rights. See Larson v. Miller, 76 F.3d 1446, 1454 (8th Cir.1996). 33 Jensen has not set forth any evidence that the defendants conspired to deprive her of her civil rights or that they were motivated by a discriminatory animus. In addition, the district court ruled as a matter of law that Jensen was precluded from bringing a conspiracy claim based upon the Supreme Court's holding that a litigant may not bring a claim under § 1985(3) to redress violations of Title VII. See Great Am. Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n v. Novotny, 442 U.S. 366, 375-76, 99 S.Ct. 2345, 60 L.Ed.2d 957 (1979) (If a violation of Title VII could be asserted through § 1985(3), a complainant could avoid most if not all of these detailed and specific provisions of the law.). 34 Jensen contends the district court erred because her conspiracy claims go beyond Title VII. Even assuming that Jensen's contentions of sex-based class discrimination are broader than Title VII, her § 1985(3) claim still fails. Purposeful discrimination must be established for a party to succeed on a § 1985(3) claim. See McIntosh v. Ark. Republican Party-Frank White Election Comm., 766 F.2d 337, 340 (8th Cir.1985). Jensen has failed to produce evidence to support a finding of purposeful discrimination. Other than the general allegation in her complaint, Jensen did not allege any sort of conspiracy between the individuals sufficient to state a claim. See Palesch v. Mo. Comm'n on Human Rights, 233 F.3d 560, 570 (8th Cir.2000) (stating conclusory allegations that the individual defendants were out to get plaintiff based on race and gender does not state a claim). The district court properly dismissed this claim. 35 Finally, Jensen maintains that the district court erred in dismissing her claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1986 (action for neglect to prevent commission of § 1985 violation). Such claims are dependent upon a valid § 1985 claim. See Lewellen v. Raff, 843 F.2d 1103, 1116 (8th Cir.1988). Because the district court properly dismissed Jensen's § 1985 claims, it also correctly dismissed Jensen's § 1986 claims against the individual defendants.