Opinion ID: 23608
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 25 Appellants also argue that the trial court erred by denying their motion for judgment as a matter of law because the record contained insufficient evidence to support the jury's verdict. We review a district court's denial of a motion for judgment as a matter of law de novo. See Russell v. McKinney Hospital Venture, 235 F.3d 219, 222 (5th Cir. 2000). Judgment as a matter of law is appropriate if 'there is no legally sufficient evidentiary basis for a reasonable jury to find for that party on that issue.' Id. (quoting Fed. R. Civ. P. 50(a)). After reviewing the evidence in the record, we draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the nonmoving party, disregarding evidence favorable to the moving party. See Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Prods., Inc., 530 U.S. 133,120 S.Ct. 2097, 2110, 147 L.Ed.2d 105 (2000). 26 To prove a claim of intentional discrimination, a plaintiff must first establish a prima facie case. See id. at 2106; McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973). Oden can demonstrate a prima facie case by showing that (1) the plaintiff was within a protected class; (2) he was qualified for the position sought; (3) he was not promoted; and (4) the position was filled by someone outside the protected class. See Blow v. City of San Antonio, Texas, 236 F.3d 293 (5th Cir. 2001) (citing Texas Dept. of Community Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 252-53). The record shows that Oden, an African-American, was a member of a protected class, that he inquired about the chief deputy position, that he was not promoted to the higher rank, and that George Carrithers, a white male, was appointed to the position. 27 The Appellants contend that Oden cannot establish a prima facie case of race discrimination because the chief deputy appointment was not a promotion. Appellants claim that the analysis in 1981 promotion cases should apply to support their argument under Title VII. In Patterson v. McLean Credit Union, 491 U.S. 164, 175-77 (1989), the Supreme Court held that plaintiffs must show that the failure to receive a promotion amounts to a denial of the opportunity to form a new and distinct employment relationship. See also National Ass'n of Gov. Employees v. City Public Serv. Board of San Antonio, Texas, 40 F.3d 698, 714 (1994). In Patterson, the Court restricted claims under 1981 to redress discriminatory conduct at the initial formation of the contract or conduct which impairs the right to enforce contract obligations through legal process. Patterson, 491 U.S. at 179. See also Johnson v. Uncle Ben's, Inc., 965 F.2d 1363, 1370 (5th Cir. 1992). The Court reasoned that 1981 was restricted to the contractual relationship between an employer and employee, while Title VII addresses a more expansive scope of conduct. See id. at 180. The contract analysis for promotion claims under 1981 therefore does not necessarily apply to Title VII suits. 11 28 Title VII is not limited to economic or tangible discrimination, . . . and it covers more than terms and conditions in the narrow contractual sense. Faragher v. City of Boca Raton, 524 U.S. 775, 786 (1998) (citations ommitted). To establish a prima facie case for discrimination under Title VII, Oden must show that, at the very least, the alleged discriminatory conduct tended to adversely affect him. See Mattern V. Eastman Kodak Co., 104 F.3d 702, 708 (5th Cir. 1997) (stating that the discrimination provision in Title VII is much broader than the retaliation provision and applies to activity that tends to adversely affect the employee). At most, Oden must demonstrate that Sheriff Bryan made an ultimate employment decision. See Shackelford v. Deloitte & Touche, LLP, 190 F.3d 398, 406-07 (5th Cir. 1999) (noting that the ultimate employment decision standard applied in retaliation cases may not apply to claims of race discrimination). Regardless of which standard applies, Sheriff Bryan's appointment was an ultimate employment decision. The Sheriff testified that only one person could fill the chief deputy position. By appointing Deputy Carrithers to the higher rank, Sheriff Bryan precluded Deputy Oden from becoming second in command. Sheriff Bryan's appointment was an employment decision that could subject him to Title VII liability. 29 Appellants further contend that Oden failed to establish a prima facie case because he was not qualified for the job. Sheriff Bryan testified that the chief deputy position required administration skills and an understanding of the office computer system. Deputy Carrithers was the only person in the Sheriff's Department who acquired these skills. Oden claims that, because the Sheriff never posted the qualifications for chief deputy before appointing Carrithers, the Sheriff's stated qualifications were pretext. 30 A plaintiff must demonstrate that he meets objective promotion criteria at the prima facie stage of his case. See Medina v. Ramsey Steel Co., Inc., 238 F.3d 674 (5th Cir. 2001); Lindsey v. Prive Corp., 987 F.2d 324, 327 (5th Cir. 1993). Whether an employer's subjective hiring criteria serves as pretext for discrimination is an issue for the trier of fact to decide in the later stages of the burden-shifting analysis. See id. Oden was a road deputy with almost twenty years of experience at the time the Sheriff appointed Deputy Carrithers to the chief deputy position. Oden had seniority over every other officer in the Department. Other deputies testified that Oden was much better at working with the general public than Deputy Carrithers. In addition, Oden possessed managerial skills that he developed before working for the Sheriff's Department. On the basis of this evidence, Oden satisfied objective hiring criteria and established his prima facie case. 31 Once a plaintiff satisfies his prima facie case, the employer must assert a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for his decision. See McDonnell Douglas, 411 U.S. at 802. If an employer alleges a nondiscriminatory explanation, the factfinder must determine the 'ultimate question: whether [the] plaintiff has proven [intentional discrimination].' Russell, 235 F.3d at 222 (quoting St. Mary's Honor Ctr. v. Hicks, 509 U.S. 502, 511-12 (1993). It is not enough . . . to disbelieve the employer; the factfinder must believe the plaintiff's explanation of intentional discrmination. Hicks, 509 U.S. at 519. Thus, plaintiff's prima facie case, combined with sufficient evidence to find that the employer's asserted justification is false, may permit the trier of fact to conclude that the employer unlawfully discriminated. Reeves, 120 S.Ct. at 2109. 32 The Sheriff's asserted nondiscriminatory reason for promoting Deputy Carrithers over Deputy Oden was that Carrithers met the qualifications for the job. The Sheriff claimed that a chief deputy must be familiar with the administration of the Sheriff's Department and the Department's computer system. Oden argues that Sheriff Bryan's stated qualifications were pretext. Our task then is to determine whether sufficient evidence supports the jury's verdict in Oden's favor, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to Oden, the nonmovant. See Reeves, 120 S.Ct. at 2110. 33 In addition to the evidence supporting his prima facie case, Oden established that he completed more law enforcement training than Deputy Carrithers and that he was proficient in some office skills, such as reviewing the other deputies' paperwork. Sheriff Bryan gave Deputy Carrithers the opportunity to improve his administrative skills without giving Oden the same chance. Deputy Oden could clearly meet most of the Sheriff's qualifications, but for the Sheriff's decision to groom someone else for the position. 34 To further refute the Sheriff's subjective qualifications, Oden presented evidence that Sheriff Bryan previously overlooked qualified African-American applicants for deputy positions in favor of white applicants with less experience. Sheriff Bryan also stated that, if he could have filled two chief deputy positions, then he would have appointed both Oden and Carrithers. The Sheriff therefore admitted that computer skills and an acute knowledge of the office's administrative needs were not the primary qualifications for chief deputy. In fact, the transcript shows that the former chief deputy, like Deputy Oden, worked as a road deputy instead of an administrative assistant. After reviewing the record in the light most favorable to the verdict, we find that the record contains sufficient evidence to support the jury's finding of intentional discrimination. 12