Manego v. Orleans Board of Trade

Manego (plaintiff), a Black man seeking to open a disco near a children's skating rink, had his liquor and entertainment license applications denied by the Orleans Board of Selectmen after vocal opposition from bank vice-president and rink manager David Willard (defendant), who also headed the Orleans Board of Trade; after later selling the rink, the new white owner easily obtained a similar entertainment license for the same location. Manego first sued the Board of Selectmen, the Bank, and Willard in federal court alleging a race-based conspiracy to deny his licenses, and that suit was dismissed; he then filed this second suit, substituting the Board of Trade for the Board of Selectmen but keeping the Bank and Willard as defendants, this time alleging an antitrust conspiracy to prevent the disco from competing with the rink. The district court found the same facts underlying both suits and dismissed the second suit under res judicata.