[NOT FOR PUBLICATION–NOT TO BE CITED AS PRECEDENT]

United States Court of Appeals For the First Circuit

No. 00-1358

JOHN M. GERA,

Plaintiff, Appellant,

v.

ALAN HASSENFELD, CEO; HASBRO, INC.,

Defendants, Appellees.

APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND

[Hon. Ernest C. Torres, U.S. District Judge]

Before

Boudin, Circuit Judge, Bownes, Senior Circuit Judge, and Stahl, Circuit Judge.

John M. Gera on brief pro se. Neil Jacobs, Lisa Stephanian Burton, C. Tama Benson and Hale and Dorr LLP on brief for appellees.

February 16, 2001 Per Curiam. After carefully reviewing the briefs

and record on appeal, we affirm the judgment for

substantially the reasons developed below. The appellant

failed to establish a prima facie case of discrimination or

retaliation by providing definite, non-speculative evidence

that national origin played a role in the defendants’

actions. His own conjectures and conclusions were

insufficient. Feliciano De La Cruz v. El Conquistador

Resort and Country Club,

(1st Cir. 2000). His

defamation claims were either time-barred or otherwise

untenable. Mikaelian v. Drug Abuse Unit,

(R.I.

1985).

Affirmed. Loc. R. 27(c).