Renfro

FACTS

Because the evidence is so surprisingly murky, we begin with this question: who fired Terralyn Renfro? The two men at the top of the hierarchy at Mule Creek State Prison (Mule Creek) were Brett Williams, M.D., the chief medical officer and hiring authority of all of the health care departments, and W. J. “Jeff” White, Ph.D., the chief psychologist. Williams, who is also African American, was not in the office on July 19, 2007, the day plaintiff was fired. He testified he did not know plaintiff had been fired until after it was done, and he was uncomfortable with the way it was done. His assistant, Terri Weinholdt, testified, however, that she consulted with Williams throughout the day and obtained his approval. She then authorized White to fire plaintiff. White did not testify. Katherine Powell, Ph.D., was plaintiff’s supervisor. According to Powell, White did not have independent authority to terminate anyone; Williams alone had final authority on who was hired and fired. Powell hired plaintiff after a telephone interview and did not know she is African American until she arrived. Powell was on medical leave the day plaintiff was fired and denied making the decision to…