KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Nothing less than changing the culture of the federal government is the purpose of the wrongful death lawsuit brought this month as a result of the double murder at Coast Guard Communications Station Kodiak four years ago.
Richard Belisle, a retired Coast Guardsman, and James Hopkins, an active duty Coast Guardsman, were killed by a coworker in 2012. Nicola Belisle lost her husband in the shooting.
Belisle contends that the ComSta murderer, Jim Wells, was known for decades as a loose cannon in the rigging shop, where he worked with his victims.
“This is insane,” Belisle said. “In what civilian employment situation can you have nearly 20 years of disciplinary action, where you have blatantly and flagrantly just basically thumbed your nose at your superiors, your supervisors and then be allowed to continue on with impunity?”
What Belisle wants changed is the Coast Guard’s rules for hiring, keeping, disciplining and discharging civilian employees employees, which she says is flawed.
“If this had in a civilian employment situation, he would have been fired 15, 18, 20 years before.”
Belisle is quick to point out that it is not the chain of command at Coast Guard Base Kodiak that she finds fault with.
“Oh, they fell over themselves to take care of us. I can’t fault that whatsoever. They were just as horrified and devastated, and did everything they possibly could,” she said. “This isn’t against Pete Van Ness, who was the CO of the ComSta at the time. It’s not against him. It’s not against any particular commanding officer, executive officer, engineering officer, chief, it’s not against any of those people that supervised him while Rich was working at the ComSta. Or any of the ones who supervised the man who did this.”
Belisle and Debora Hopkins are each seeking about $1.1-million in their wrongful death suit, which is the same amount awarded by a federal judge in the criminal case against Wells in 2014. He is serving four consecutive life prison terms.
