Opinion ID: 759223
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Pretrial Proceedings and the First Two Trials

Text: 25 In June 1989, Gierlinger commenced the present action for violation of her rights under federal and state law. Initially naming only NYSP as a defendant, the complaint was brought principally under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging violation of Gierlinger's rights to due process and equal protection, and under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. (Title VII), It sought, inter alia, compensatory and punitive damages on the grounds that Gierlinger's employment had been terminated because of her gender and in retaliation for having complained of sexual harassment. The complaint was amended three days later to add 13 individual defendants, including McCole, Abate, Rowe, and Gleason. 26 Defendants moved to dismiss parts of the first amended complaint on various grounds. NYSP moved to dismiss all but the Title VII claim against it, arguing that on the other claims it was entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity. On the same ground, the other defendants moved to dismiss the claims asserted against them in their official capacities. And all defendants moved to dismiss the claims for compensatory and punitive damages on Gierlinger's claims under Title VII on the ground that that statute authorized only equitable relief. The individual defendants also argued that the first amended complaint was insufficiently specific as to the culpable conduct Gierlinger wished to attribute to each individual: 27 The complaint alleges, for example, that the defendants' termination of the plaintiff: was made without notice or without personal interview; was without opportunity for a hearing; was arbitrary; was done because of the plaintiff's sex; and was done to punish the plaintiff for prior complaints.... 28 The requirement that specific facts be alleged in section 1983 cases is especially important where, as here, there are several defendants named in the complaint. It is beyond reason to believe, even assuming some factual basis for the plaintiff's claims, that each defendant was responsible for all of the wrongs of which the plaintiff complains. 29 (Defendants' Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion To Dismiss, dated January 12, 1990, at 7.) Defendants' motion concluded that 30 the only claims which should remain before the Court, and the defendants should be required to answer, [are] claims made pursuant to Title VII seeking relief authorized by that statute, and claims made pursuant to § 1983 against the individual defendants in their individual capacities only. 31 (Id. at 10-11.) The district court granted defendants' motions and gave Gierlinger leave to file a new complaint. 32 Represented by new counsel, her original attorney having left private practice, Gierlinger filed a second amended complaint in August 1990. This new complaint differed little from the first amended complaint except to omit requests for punitive damages on three of the five asserted claims, to identify NYSP as an employer within the meaning of Title VII, and to include summaries of the conduct of which Gierlinger accused each individual defendant. 33 After discovery, Gierlinger's claims against four of the individual defendants were dismissed on consent. In addition, at some point in time that remains unclear on the record before us, NYSP was eliminated from the case. In May 1992, the case proceeded to trial against nine individual defendants. At the close of Gierlinger's evidence, the district court granted judgment as a matter of law to four of those defendants, leaving the jury to decide her claims against five defendants, including Gleason. The jury returned a verdict in favor of all of the remaining defendants except Gleason. The jury found Gleason liable to Gierlinger for damages totaling $340,000. 34 Gleason appealed, contending (1) that he was entitled to judgment in his favor as a matter of law, and (2) that there was error in the court's instructions to the jury. As discussed in Part III.B.5. below, we agreed with his second contention, and we vacated the judgment against Gleason and remanded for a new trial of the claims against him. 35 In July 1994, the district court began the second trial of Gierlinger's claims against Gleason. On the ninth day of that trial, the court sua sponte declared a mistrial. As discussed in Part III.B.2. below, the reason given by the court was principally that the trial had gotten out of control. 36 In ordering the mistrial, Judge Elfvin volunteered that he would recuse himself from the case so that the third trial would be conducted before a different judge. When several months had passed without the entry of an order of recusal, Gierlinger made a motion for recusal. Judge Elfvin denied the motion.