Published: May 08, 2008 10:20 pm         

Chief deputy responds to wrongful death lawsuit

Raleigh County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Steve Tanner Thursday defended the actions of both the office and the deputies named in a wrongful death lawsuit. The suit, filed Monday, lists Tanner, the sheriff’s department, the Raleigh County Commission, Sheriff Danny Moore, Deputy Greg S. Kade and Deputy John E. Hajash as defendants.

The suit was filed by Charleston attorneys Michael A. Olivio and Travis A. Griffith on behalf of Mary Webb, the widow of Robert Webb, who was shot to death by Hajash and Kade in the early-morning hours of July 4, 2006. The deputies had responded to a complaint that Webb, 44, was playing loud music and shooting an AK-47 assault rifle outside his Cabell Heights home.

Tanner, speaking on behalf of the office while Moore is on sick leave, issued the following prepared statement:

“One of the greatest problems that the legal system in West Virginia faces is frivolous lawsuits, meaning that anyone can sue anyone for anything. In this state you can sue someone without the case having any merit. Now, these frivolous suits are dismissed once they get before the judge, but you still have the requirement of litigation and the request not to air the case to the media. Such is the position that the sheriff’s office finds itself in at this time.

“The attorney’s firm that has filed this case with the circuit court has also filed it with the media, but as of this date has not served us, so I still have not seen the lawsuit. Every decent person feels sympathy for the loss of life, but the Raleigh County sheriff’s office is absolutely unwavering with their support of the deputies involved in the shooting and I assure the public that the deputies acted in the only way they could and survive the situation that Mr. Webb created by his actions. We at the sheriff’s office are required to protect the public and the actions taken on the night in question were necessary to protect you, the public.

“We can have no further comment on the lawsuit because we will respect the legal system and the rules of litigation.”

— E-mail:

mjames@register-herald.com