Rodriguez

Statement of the Case

Plaintiff appeals from an adverse judgment entered after the granting of defendants’ motion made at the conclusion of plaintiff’s case pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 631.8. Appellant has characterized his action as one to recover damages “for conspiracy to commit slander.”

For several years prior to Ms discharge in the latter part of October 1963, appellant had been employed by respondent North American Aviation, Inc. (North American) as an, engineer in its Rocketdyne Division. For some time prior to October 9, 1962, appellant had been employed as supervisor of the Experimental Aerodynamics Facility of the Rocketdyne Division.

The named defendants, in addition to North American, are Edward Monteath, Samuel R. Logan and S. F. Iacobellis, each of whom was an executive at North American occupying a position superior to- that of appellant.

The developments which led to appellant’s demotion and to Ms ultimate discharge occurred during a visit to the facility of wMch appellant was supervisor by one Thompson, a representative of the National Aeronautics Space Admims-tration (NASA) with which North American had three substantial contracts in…