Opinion ID: 751092
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 71 Roderick and Bogan, in chorus, assert that insufficient evidence exists from which a jury lawfully could find that the desire to punish the plaintiff for her protected speech was a substantial or motivating factor behind the actions which they took. This assertion is easily refuted. 72 In challenging a jury verdict on sufficiency grounds, a defendant labors under a heavy burden. See supra note 9 (elucidating applicable legal standard and citing cases). Because the evidence in this case is capable of supporting two sets of divergent inferences, Roderick and Bogan cannot carry their burden. 73 We choose not to tarry. It suffices to say that, on this pleochroic record, the jury could have found that Biltcliffe used political connections to hinder the investigation of Scott-Harris' accusations by, inter alia, banishing the accuser, and that Roderick and Bogan were the instruments of her vengeance. Roderick bore an animosity toward Scott-Harris based on a history of friction between the two women, and the jury permissibly could have found that when Biltcliffe complained to her about Scott-Harris' charges, she spoke to Connors; that when Scott-Harris persisted, Roderick agreed to push the position-elimination ordinance despite the fact that Scott-Harris was performing her duties well; that the asserted budgetary basis for the ordinance was a sham; 18 and that Roderick knew as much. 74 As to Bogan, much of the same evidence is relevant. In addition, the jury could have found that he knew Biltcliffe and resented Scott-Harris' outspoken efforts to cashier her; that he abetted the effort to save Biltcliffe's sinecure by terminating Scott-Harris (and no other manager) for a bogus reason; that he proposed the position-elimination ordinance to that end, notwithstanding Connors' opposition; that he happily signed it into law; that when he learned of Scott-Harris' intention to accept a different municipal position at a reduced salary, he pulled the rug from under her by increasing the responsibilities of the job and shifting her to a dingy office; that when Scott-Harris tried to retract her rejection of this diminished position, he foiled her efforts to do so; and that in all events Bogan showed his true colors by shortening Biltcliffe's suspension. 75 To be sure, this set of conclusions does not flow ineluctably from the evidence, but it represents a permissible construction of the record. Consequently, the evidence is adequate to support the verdicts against both Roderick and Bogan.