Opinion ID: 2975884
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Scott’s conspiracy claim

Text: For the same reasons that Scott has presented a triable issue of fact regarding his retaliation claim, he has also presented a triable issue of fact regarding his conspiracy claim. “A civil conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to injure another by unlawful action.” Weberg v. Franks, 229 F.3d 514, 526 (6th Cir. 2000). If Scott’s story is to be believed, as it must be for purposes of ruling on a summary judgment motion, he has alleged sufficient facts from which a rational jury could conclude that the defendants agreed to violate his civil rights; that the defendants shared in the conspiratorial objective; and that an overt act was committed in furtherance of the conspiracy. See id. “Rarely in a conspiracy case will there be direct evidence of an express agreement among all the conspirators to conspire, . . . circumstantial evidence may provide adequate - 10 - No. 06-1622 Scott v. Stone, et al proof of conspiracy.” Id. at 528. Scott’s conspiracy claim is likely dependent, however, on his succeeding on his First Amendment retaliation claim. See Torres-Rosado v. Rotger-Sabat, 335 F.3d 1, 14 (1st Cir. 2003) (“To demonstrate conspiracy under § 1983, plaintiff must show an actual abridgement of some federally-secured right.”(internal quotations omitted)); Vaden v. Village of Maywood, Ill., 809 F.2d 361, 366 (7th Cir. 1987) (“To state a claim for relief under [§ 1983], [plaintiff] must allege not only that the defendants conspired under color of state law to deprive her of her constitutional rights, but also that she was in fact deprived of those rights.”).