WEI ZHANG, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. AMERICAN GEM SEAFOODS, INC., a Delaware corporation; MCMI FOOD COMPANY, a Texas corporation; HARRY LEES, a natural person, Defendants-Appellants., 339 F.3d 1020

Summary

The jury returned a mixed verdict for the employee, a verdict that was apparently inconsistent because it awarded more in double damages than in base damages. At the heart of the appeal was appellants' argument that the verdict was irreconcilably inconsistent as to three elements: first, the jury found the corporate defendants liable for discrimination but found the president of the corporate parent not liable; second, the jury found the corporate defendants liable for discrimination under 42 U.S.C.S. § 1981 but not under Washington law; and third, on the breach of contract claim, the jury awarded more in double damages than it had awarded in damages for the same claim. Although these alleged inconsistencies presented several intersecting legal issues, the court concluded that none of them was cause to vacate the judgment or to order a new trial. Among its numerous findings, the court agreed with the district court that awards for both compensatory damages, and punitive damages on the ...