Opinion ID: 540873
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Cross-Appeal: Equitable Relief

Text: 83 Having found none of the issues raised by Brown Group to merit reversal, we turn now to Hicks' cross-appeal. Hicks argues that the district court erred in denying his post-trial motion for reinstatement and related equitable relief despite the fact that he had successfully proven that he would not have been discharged except for his race. Hicks argues that the district court erred in allowing the jury to answer Special Interrogatories Nos. 7 and 10 after the jury found in Special Interrogatory No. 5 that race was a determining factor in his termination from employment. 84 The three Special Interrogatories in dispute provided as follows: 85 Special Interrogatory No. 5. 86 Do you, the jury, unanimously find by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant Brown Group, Inc., intentionally discriminated against plaintiff Kenneth Hicks on account of his race in that his race was a determining factor in his termination from employment by defendant? 87 Answer: Yes. 88 Special Interrogatory No. 7. 89 Do you, the jury unanimously find by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant Brown Group, Inc., intentionally discriminated against plaintiff Kenneth Hicks on account of his race in that his race was a discernible or motivating factor in his termination from employment by defendant? 90 Answer: Yes. 91 Special Interrogatory No. 10. 92 Do you, the jury, unanimously find by a preponderance of the evidence the defendant Brown Group, Inc., would have terminated plaintiff Kenneth Hicks from employment, even had plaintiff's race and age not been a discernible or motivating factor or a determining factor in the decision to terminate? 93 Answer: Yes. 94 Hicks argues that Special Interrogatories numbers 5 and 10 ask the same question, namely whether Hicks' race was the but for cause of his termination. Hicks argues that Special Interrogatory No. 10 should be disregarded as surplusage, and requests this court to grant him reinstatement and related equitable relief. In the alternative, Hicks requests a partial new trial in order for the jury to determine, given that race played a role in his discharge, whether it made a difference in determining the outcome of that decision. 95 Brown Group does not respond to the apparent conflict between Special Interrogatories Nos. 5 and 10, but instead argues that Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 1775, 104 L.Ed.2d 268 (1989) (plurality opinion) (Price Waterhouse ), requires that judgment be entered in its favor because the jury's answer to Special Interrogatory No. 10 established that Hicks would have been discharged even if his race was not taken into account. Price Waterhouse is a mixed-motive Title VII case decided by the Supreme Court while this appeal and cross-appeal were pending. In Price Waterhouse, the plurality held that once a plaintiff proves that a prohibited factor played a motivating part in an employment decision, the defendant may avoid a finding of liability only by proving by a preponderance of the evidence that it would have made the same decision even if it had not taken the [impermissible factor] into account. Id. 109 S.Ct. at 1795 (emphasis added). Brown Group argues that Price Waterhouse implicitly overruled Bibbs v. Block, 778 F.2d 1318, 1324 (8th Cir.1985) (en banc), which held that an employer who shows that it would have made the same decision may avoid promotion or reinstatement, but not liability under Title VII. Brown Group further argues, without discussing the different purposes and legislative histories of Title VII and Section 1981, that Price Waterhouse also undermines this court's Section 1981 decisions and the Special Interrogatories in this case. 96 While the Special Interrogatories in this case were indeed confusing, we need not address whether they constitute reversible error. Hicks' counsel failed to object to Special Interrogatory No. 10 at trial despite having the opportunity to do so. Consequently, the issue was not preserved for appellate review. United States v. Carey, 898 F.2d 642 at 644 (8th Cir.1990); United States v. Elem, 845 F.2d 170, 173 (8th Cir.1988); Patterson v. United States, 361 F.2d 632, 636 (8th Cir.1966). We need not address the merits of Hicks' cross-appeal and Brown Group's response, and leave for another day the determination of the precise effect (if any) that Price Waterhouse has on this court's Section 1981 and Title VII precedent.