Opinion ID: 2768865
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: McMillan (Barnes’s Therapist)

Text: Zaccari testified that McMillan was an integral part of his investigation of Barnes. In her deposition, McMillan testified that she had believed that Barnes would benefit from taking off the summer semester in 2007. In Zaccari’s affidavit, he stated that he “was aware of the concerns of [Barnes’s] therapists that he was decompensating and could have benefitted from a semester off.” There was evidence that McMillan, in her role as Barnes’s therapist at VSU, shared Barnes’s confidential information with Zaccari without obtaining permission from Barnes. Viewing this evidence in the light most favorable to Barnes, McMillan’s conduct can reasonably be interpreted as assisting Zaccari in his efforts to have Barnes withdrawn and/or to punish Barnes for exercising his right to free speech. This conduct can be construed as a retaliatory act against Barnes. Although McMillan states that she repeatedly told Zaccari that Barnes did not constitute a threat to security, Zaccari testified that McMillan did not do so. Indeed, Zaccari testified that the first time he was aware of McMillan’s opinion that Barnes did not constitute a threat was after the withdrawal letter was delivered to Barnes. Based on this evidence, we conclude that it was not unreasonable for Barnes to believe that McMillan participated in having Barnes withdrawn. This evidence 30 Case: 13-13800 Date Filed: 01/12/2015 Page: 31 of 36 demonstrates that Barnes’s claims against McMillan were not frivolous, unreasonable, or without foundation. Thus, we reverse the district court’s judgment awarding attorney’s fees to McMillan.