my secretary was fired after reporting a coworker for leaving work without signing out

In short - my secretary was fired after she reported her coworker to administration for repeatedly signing in for work, then leaving for hours at a time, leaving my sec to cover her phone and duties. She was reassured by the administrator to whom she reported the incidents that her name would not be used to confront the bad employee. The bad coworker was fired. Shortly thereafter, the fired employee opened a false e-mail account using my secretary's name and wrote a libelous email and sent it to all those she supposedly defamed and to hospital and university administration. This fired employee wrote horrible things, accusing my sec of theft, racism, slander of coworkers, job incompetence and included horrible personal comments about all with whom she worked. My secretary was immediately suspended without pay and fired a few days later for job incompetence. She has always been an exemplary employee. Does she have any recourse? I have a copy of the email the fired employee sent if that would be of help in determining and answer to the question.