Thurston v. Department of Veterans Affairs , 254 F. App'x 811 ( 2007 )


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  •                      NOTE: This disposition is nonprecedential.
    United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
    2007-3179
    LEWIS THURSTON,
    Petitioner,
    v.
    DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS,
    Respondent.
    Lewis Thurston, of Decatur, Georgia, pro se.
    Sean M. Dunn, Trial Attorney, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division,
    United States Department of Justice, of Washington, DC, for respondent. With him on
    the brief were Peter D. Keisler, Acting Attorney General, Jeanne E. Davidson, Director,
    and Kathryn A. Bleecker , Assistant Director.
    Appealed from: United States Merit Systems Protection Board
    NOTE: This disposition is nonprecedential.
    United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
    2007-3179
    LEWIS THURSTON,
    Petitioner,
    v.
    DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS,
    Respondent.
    ____________________________
    DECIDED: November 9, 2007
    ____________________________
    Before LOURIE, SCHALL, and GAJARSA, Circuit Judges.
    PER CURIAM.
    DECISION
    Lewis Thurston appeals from the final decision of the Merit Systems Protection
    Board (“Board”) affirming removal from his position as a purchasing agent at the
    Department of Veterans Affairs (“the agency”). Thurston v. Dep’t of Veterans Affairs,
    AT-0752-05-0639-I-1 (M.S.P.B. Feb. 28, 2007) (“Final Decision”). Because Thurston
    fails to identify any reversible error, we affirm.
    BACKGROUND
    On May 20, 2005, Thurston was removed from his position as Purchasing Agent
    at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Thurston’s removal was
    based on his failure to follow proper leave procedures, being absent without leave
    (“AWOL”), and failure to follow supervisory instructions. Those charges arose from the
    events described below.
    On December 28, 2004, Thurston was instructed to report to the office of his
    second-line supervisor, David W. Peters. After refusing to do so, a proposed fourteen-
    day suspension was issued based on Thurston’s “deliberate refusal to carry out a
    proper order, AWOL, and failure to follow proper leave requesting procedures.”
    Thurston v. Dep’t of Veterans Affairs, AT-0752-05-0639-I-3 at 2-3 (M.S.P.B. Oct. 18,
    2006) (“Initial Decision”). On February 2, 2005, Thurston was again instructed to report
    to Peters’ office to discuss the proposed suspension. He reported to the office, but
    refused to stay without union representation, despite being directed to do so.
    On February 3, 2005, Peters was counseling Thurston as part of a performance
    improvement plan. During the session, Thurston left the training area after becoming
    angry, despite being instructed to remain. On that same day, all purchasing agents
    were also instructed to pick up new purchasing cards from Peters’ office that day, but
    Thurston failed to follow that instruction.    By e-mail and telephone, Peters again
    instructed Thurston to pick up his cards, but Thurston did not pick them up until March
    1, 2005.
    Additionally, on February 28, 2005, and March 4, 2005, Thurston was not at his
    work area between 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm and 9:45 am to 10:30 am, respectively.
    Thurston failed to notify his supervisors or provide a physician’s statement to account
    for his absences, which he was required to do. Moreover, on March 8, 2005, Thurston
    disobeyed direct orders not to eat at his desk on that day because auditors were
    scheduled to tour the facility. Thurston, however, was seen eating a full tray of food at
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    his desk.
    On April 14, 2005, the agency proposed Thurston’s removal, effective May 20,
    2005. Thurston appealed his removal to both the Board and the Equal Employment
    Opportunity (“EEO”) Commission.
    On October 18, 2006, based on the evidence of record, the Administrative Judge
    (“AJ”) found that the agency established by preponderant evidence that Thurston failed
    to follow proper leave procedures, was absent without leave, and failed to follow
    supervisory instructions on numerous occasions. In reaching that conclusion, the AJ
    noted that Thurston was found to be “not credible,” and that the “only consistent aspect
    of [Thurston’s] testimony was its overwhelming evasiveness.” Initial Decision at 14.
    The AJ further determined that the agency did not retaliate against Thurston for filing an
    EEO complaint, thereby rejecting Thurston’s affirmative defense.           Thus, the AJ
    sustained the agency’s action of removal.
    Thurston appealed the AJ’s decision to the full Board, which denied his petition
    for review, thereby rendering the AJ’s decision final.       See 
    5 C.F.R. § 1201.113
    .
    Thurston timely appealed to this court. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 
    28 U.S.C. § 1295
    (a)(9).
    DISCUSSION
    The scope of our review in an appeal from a decision of the Board is limited.
    Ordinarily, we must affirm the Board’s decision unless it was “(1) arbitrary, capricious,
    an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law; (2) obtained without
    procedures required by law, rule, or regulation having been followed; or (3) unsupported
    by substantial evidence.” 
    5 U.S.C. § 7703
    (c) (2000); see Briggs v. Merit Sys. Prot. Bd.,
    2007-3179
    -3-
    
    331 F.3d 1307
    , 1311 (Fed. Cir. 2003).
    Thurston raises two main arguments on appeal. First, he argues that the Board
    erred by failing to take into account certain facts, including “[his] witness, [his] mental
    disability, [his] psychology reports, etc.” Pet. Br. at 1. Second, Thurston argues that the
    Board committed legal error by not applying the “Disability Act” to his case. 
    Id.
    The government responds that the Board did not err by failing to take into
    account the testimony of Thurston’s witness or facts relating to his alleged mental
    disability and psychology reports, but instead properly considered all relevant facts and
    evidence contained in the record. Second, the government argues that the Board did
    not commit legal error by not applying the Disability Act because Thurston did not
    properly raise any discrimination claims to the Board.
    We agree with the government that the Board did not commit factual or legal
    errors in reaching its decision. We first address Thurston’s contention that the Board
    erred by excluding the testimony of Thurston’s witness. “Procedural matters relative to
    discovery and evidentiary issues,” such as the decision to exclude witness testimony,
    “fall within the sound discretion of the board and its officials.” Curtin v. Office of Pers.
    Mgmt., 
    846 F.2d 1373
    , 1378-79 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (citing Spezzaferro v. FAA, 
    807 F.2d 169
    , 173 (Fed. Cir. 1986); 
    5 C.F.R. § 1201.41
    (a) and (b) (1988)). Thus, we “will not
    overturn the board on such matters unless an abuse of discretion is clear and is
    harmful.” 
    Id.
     None appears here.
    According to Thurston, his witness, identified as Debra Surry, will testify how he
    “was harassed over [and] over.” Pet. Br. at 2. That conclusory statement, however,
    fails to demonstrate an abuse of discretion. Indeed, Thurston himself would be able to
    2007-3179
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    testify about any harassment he purportedly suffered at work. Thus, any testimony by
    Surry stating the same thing would be duplicative, and it was within the AJ’s discretion
    to exclude it. See Tiffany v. Dep’t of Navy, 
    795 F.2d 67
    , 70 (Fed. Cir. 1986) (“The
    presiding official is authorized to rule on witness lists, i.e., to exclude witnesses whose
    testimony is considered to be irrelevant, immaterial or repetitious.”). Moreover, based
    on the testimony of Shasta Hood, the official who proposed Thurston’s removal, and
    James Blaylock, the deciding official, the AJ determined that “the agency would have
    taken the same action even in the absence of [Thurston’s] prior EEO activity”. Initial
    Decision at 30. Thus, the exclusion of testimony regarding alleged harassment against
    Thurston, which relates to the basis of Thurston’s EEO complaints, was harmless, and
    therefore did not constitute an abuse of discretion.
    With regard to Thurston’s contention that the Board erred by failing to consider
    his mental disability and psychology reports, and also committed legal error by failing to
    apply the Disability Act, those arguments are without merit.       Significantly, Thurston
    never alleged a claim for disability discrimination.      See Initial Decision at 2 n.3
    (“Although appellant makes several references to his medical condition and the
    agency’s failure to accommodate it, it is important to note that the appellant never
    claimed disability discrimination.”). Thus, facts relating to Thurston’s alleged disability
    and the Disability Act itself were irrelevant. Moreover, even if Thurston properly raised
    a claim for discrimination, we would lack jurisdiction over his claims. See Davidson v.
    U.S. Postal Serv., 
    24 F.3d 223
    , 223-24 (Fed. Cir. 1994) (“this court held that it had no
    jurisdiction over the merits of a mixed case, i.e., one involving an adverse action and a
    claim of discrimination”) (citing Williams v. Dep’t of the Army, 
    715 F.2d 1485
     (Fed. Cir.
    2007-3179
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    1983)). Thus, we discern no error in the Board’s decision not to consider facts and law
    relating to Thurston’s alleged disability. Accordingly, because Thurston fails to identify
    any reversible error, we affirm.
    2007-3179
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