In 1993, Marilyn Harvey, a nurse, complained to Memorial University that her boss, world-famous Order-of-Canada scientist Dr. Ranjit Chandra, could not have done the research he claimed. A very courageous thing to do. After an investigation, Memorial did not agree. Harvey recently sued Memorial. From her complaint:
The Plaintiff [Harvey] says that the Defendant [Memorial] defamed her by taking actions which . . . caused her to be isolated, shunned, and humiliated through the following:
(a) representing to the community that her complaint was unjustified;
(b) misconducting the investigation of the complaint;
(c) misleading the research community as to the reasons for discontinuing the investigation;
(d) choosing not to conduct another investigation;
(e) misleading the Plaintiff as to the reasons for discontinuing the investigation;
(f) acquiescing in and adopting [?] the actions of Dr. Chandra when he sued her for theft of research data; and by its conduct giving the Plaintiff and the public the impression that it believed the allegations of theft to be true;
(g) treating the Plaintiff in a manner as to imply to her and the university and the healthcare communities, and the public, that her complaint was unjustified;
(h) acquiescing in and adopting statements of Dr. Chandra which impugned the Plaintiff’s motives and integrity.
The overall effect of the conduct of the Defendant was to constitute a communication to the community, and to the research and hospital community in particular, that was profoundly defamatory. . . It expose[d] her to contempt, ridicule and marginalization and [caused her] to be viewed by co-workers as a troublemaker and a pariah who could have a detrimental effect on one’s career if she were not avoided.