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Show State ay It Plian to6Ignore9 42 Millioii; Singer Damage Suit . . . ; Utah Attorney General Robert Hansen told The 'Record this week the state plans to ignore a $42 million j notice of ; claim inade by the i attorney representing the . John Singer family. . Wyoming attorney Gerry Spence names high state officials, including Governor Scott Matheson, in the claim. Should the state not respond to the claim within 90 days, it is expected Mr. Spence will then file a law suit, and the controversial case could go to trial in about a year. "This is the largest claim that has ever been filed against the state," Attorney General Hansen said. . , When-asked why he would ignore the notice of claim, Mr. Hansen replied, "It gives us more lead time to prepare for 1 the case." Mr. Sperice's' partner; 'Bob 1 'Schuster, told The Record, ' "It's a serious claim and a ' serious matter. It will be a i fairly involved law suit. " I Named as defendants in the jclaim are Attorney General Hansen; Governor Matheson, Summit County Sheriff Ron Robinson, Utah Highway Patrol Pat-rol Superintendent Robert Reed, Public Safety Commissioner Commis-sioner Larry Lunnen, Director of the Division of Narcotics Grant Larsen, as well as former director Robert Wad-man, Wad-man, Summit County Clerk Reed Pace, South Summit-j Summit-j School District Superintendent 1 Val Edrington, Director of UtafvState Division of Family Services James Wheeler, Summit County Attorney Rob-ert Rob-ert Adkins; Chief of the 'Criminal Justice Division for the' State Robert Wallace, Summit County Commissioner. Commission-er. University of Utah Psv- 1 chologist Victor Cline and Summit County Deputy Sher- -iff Leon Wilde. Claimants are Vickie Singer and her seven children. ! One of the key issues in the case will concern the circumstances circum-stances surrounding the shooting death of John Singer who, as he was returning from his mailbox January 18 of last year, was killed, by a law . enforcement officer using a .12 guage shotgun. The " State maintains Mr. Singer was shot in self defense because he drew a loaded pistol and pointed it at the arresting officer. Mrs. Singer said one of her daughters was an eye witness to the shooting and saw Mr. Singer walking quickly towards the house when he was shot in the back. Bob Schuster said it was still undecided whether the case would be tried in a state or federal court. |