Opinion ID: 1454041
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Verdict and the Post-Trial Motions

Text: By the time the case was submitted to the jury, the only remaining defendants were Aldanondo and Berríos. [4] The jury found for Hatfield on both the political discrimination and Article 1802 claims. The jury awarded $50,000 in compensatory damages. It also awarded $100,000 in punitive damages specifically for the political discrimination claim. Post-verdict, the defendants filed a motion for judgment as a matter of law under Rule 50(b), and in the alternative asked the judge to declare a mistrial. The Rule 50 part of the motion was geared almost exclusively to the verdict on the political discrimination claim, and it only very briefly mentioned the Article 1802 claim. The magistrate judge granted the Rule 50 motion as to the political discrimination claim, based on two independent reasons. First, the magistrate judge concluded that part of plaintiff's burden was to demonstrate that defendants Aldanondo or Berríos were aware of Hatfield's political affiliation, as required by law. Second, the magistrate judge concluded that there was no evidence that either Berríos or Aldanondo had been personally involved in the allegedly discriminatory acts, which precluded a finding of liability against either of them. The magistrate judge also stated that he did not understand the defendants' motion to be seeking judgment as a matter of law on the Article 1802 claim, and he declined to enter judgment for the defendants on that claim. Nonetheless, the judge decided to grant a new trial on the Article 1802 claim, based on plaintiff's attorney's improper comments during trial, particularly during closing argument. The judge, citing Suarez Matos v. Ashford Presbyterian Community Hospital, 4 F.3d 47, 50-51 (1st Cir.1993), explained that the comments improperly injected personal and emotional issues into the trial, and that they improperly suggested that defense counsel had withheld evidence. Hatfield moved for reconsideration. The magistrate judge declined to reconsider his decision on the Rule 50 motion. But the judge did reverse his decision to grant a new trial on the Article 1802 claim. He concluded that the case he had relied upon, Suarez Matos, was distinguishable in an important respect: the trial court in Suarez Matos had affirmatively permitted the improper argument, whereas here the magistrate judge had offered several curative instructions. Accordingly, the magistrate judge agree[d] with plaintiff that any prejudicial effect was neutralized, and he reinstated the jury verdict on the Article 1802 claim.