Civil Rights; Public employment; First Amendment

Civil Rights
Public employment; First Amendment

Summary judgment was properly granted to the employer on a public employee’s First Amendment retaliation claim that she was terminated for refusing to commit perjury.

“What is missing here is any evidence from which a reasonable jury might conclude that Detective Velez’s investigation or conclusions were in retaliation for Redd’s asserted refusal to lie to further the prosecution of Raphael Taylor in the Watkins battery. In other words, even if Velez’s conclusions were wrong, that would not support an inference that he or other DOC officials intended to retaliate against Redd for exercising her rights under the First Amendment and Illinois law.”

Affirmed.

10-2680 Redd v. Nolan

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Denlow, Mag. J., Hamilton, J.

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