 Who Succumbed to Suicide and/or Homicide in the Workplace Homicide is self-destruction, or destruction upon one’s fellow human being. There still are co-workers who still remain in deep depression, and contemplate suicide as the solution. The public is told (only what they want them to know) after workplace violence that the postal workers who "go postal" have family problems. They do not speak of the inhumane treatment to its workers by abusive, and vindictive management who falsify the records of individuals causing them to lose their minds. Too often abusive management is relocated and/or promoted reinforcing and perpetuating the insanity of the workplace. In less that one week my manager began a deliberate quest to inflict an emotional breakdown on me so that I would file an OWCP claim to prevent my seeking remedy in a court for the sex harassment that occurred. Today OWCP states discrimination is a remedy for court whereas the Postal Service wanted the courts to allow remedy through OWCP as a norm. When the ambulance arrived this manager was overheard by a witness to remark to a supervisor, "I hope she fucking dies." He boasted throughout the workplace, and made the same comment to others. William Basile remains a manager today. When he was caught with his pants down in the workplace receiving sex favors from his mistress supervisor he and she were relocated, and/or promoted. He never received what the US Postal Service imposed on others who simply complain of sex harassment, "a psychiatric fitness for duty." Women complainants of sex harassment receive retaliation, and are often removed from the workplace and placed on Administrative paid leave. This leave is usually given to those suspected of "unethical conduct." To William Basile: I didn't "fucking die." I live with hope in a greater power that you too shall drink from the same cup, Deacon.
TOO OFTEN WE DIE--POSTAL MURDERS/SUICIDES JOHNSTON, S.C. AUGUST 19, 1983Perry Smith charged into Johnston, S.C., post office with a shotgun and began firing at workers, who fled the building. Smith followed them, wounding two and killing the local postmaster. Smith had resigned three months earlier after 25 years as a postal worker.ANNISTON, ALABAMA DECEMBER 2, 1983James Howard Brooks walked into the office of the Anniston, Ala., postmaster, shot him dead, then wounded another supervisor. Brooks had been involved in long dispute with supervisors.ATLANTA, GEORGIA MARCH 6, 1985Steven W. Brownlee, who had worked for the postal service for 12 years, opened fire In a mail-sorting area of the main Atlanta post office, killing two fellow employees and wounding a third.NEW YORK, NEW YORK MAY 31, 1985Letter carrier, David Perez, 45, entered a New York City post office, pulled a rifle from a mailbag and aimed it at, George Grady, a supervisor. A postal clerk, who came to the supervisor's aid was shot and wounded. Perez, who had been suspended several times, held Grady hostage for two hours before surrendering.EDMOND, OKLAHOMA AUGUST 20, 1986Patrick Henry Sherrill, part-time letter carrier in Edmond, Okla., killed 14 in the post office there before killing himself. Sherrill had history of work problems, faced the possibility of being fired.CHELSEA, MASS. JUNE 29, 1988Lisa M. Bruni, a postal clerk in Chelsea, Mass., was killed by, Dominic LuPoli, 40, a co-worker in the parking lot. After fleeing LuPoli committed suicide.NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA DECEMBER 14, 1988Warren Murphy, a postal worker in New Orleans, shot and wounded three people and held his girlfriend hostage for almost 13 hours before surrendering.POWAY, CALIFORNIA MARCH 25, 1989Donald Mace, a 44-year-old letter carrier, walked into the Poway, Calif., post office and put a 38-caliber revolver to his head and killed himself.BOSTON, MASS. MAY 9, 1989Alfred James Hunter III allegedly killed his wife and commandeered a light plane in Boston. He sprayed the post office where he worked, with an AK-47 automatic rifle.ESCONDIDO, CALIFORNIA AUGUST 10, 1989John Taylor, of Escondido, Calif., shot his wife to death in their home, then drove to work at the Orange Glenn post office, where he killed two colleagues, wounded another, then killed himself.RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY OCTOBER 10, 1991Joseph M. Harris, a fired postal worker, killed an ex-supervisor and her boyfriend at their home in Wayne, N.J., then went to the Ridgewood post office, where he killed two mail handlers as they arrived for work. He surrendered after a four ½-hour standoff with police.ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN NOVEMBER 14, 1991Thomas Mcllvane, a fired postal worker whom colleagues said had vowed revenge on his superiors, opens fire at his former post office in Royal Oak, Mich., killing four supervisors and wounding five employees. Mcllvane then killed himself with his rifle.CITRUS HEIGHTS, CALIFORNIA JUNE 3, 1992Roy Barnes, a 60-year-old postal worker, put a .22-caliber, pistol to his chest and killed himself in front of co-workers in the Citrus Heights, Calif., post office.DEARBORN, MICHIGAN MAY 6, 1993Larry Jasion, 45, was a postal mechanic with 24 years in the postal service. At 8:45 he entered the postal garage, in Dearborn, Michigan, carrying a shotgun and a pistol. He shot and killed Gary Montes, 34, a postal mechanic. He wounded two other postal employees, Supervisor Harvey Kruger and June Collins, an administrative clerk. Jasion then killed himself.DANA POINT, CALIFORNIA MAY 6, 1993Just four hours after the postal shooting in Dearborn, Michigan, Mark Hilbun, a 38 postal employee, killed his mother and her dog. He then went into a Dana Point, California post office and fatally shot, Charles Barbagallo, a letter carrier and injured, Peter Gates, a postal clerk. Hilbun then left the post office and continued his shooting spree wounding Patricia Salot, John Kersey and Elizabeth Shea before being captured a day and a half later.PORTLAND, MAINE AUGUST 17, 1995A Postal Service project engineer, Judith Coffin, 46, had 12 years with the postal service. Coffin also was diabetic. After receiving a promotion, in 1993, overseeing workers who install and maintain mail-processing machines in the city's largest post office things went downhill. From the beginning of her new position she was relentlessly sexually harassed, and verbally abused, by the male subordinates and male supervisors under her. Coffin complained to postal officials who did nothing to alleviate the situation. On August 17, 1995 after almost two years of the harassment and postal officials not dealing with the problem, Judith Coffin met with a superior to discuss her job status. That same day Coffin left a suicide note blaming the Postal Service for her decision to end her life. She then took an overdose of insulin and died six days later.THE CITY of INDUSTRY, CALIFORNIA JULY 10, 1995A 22-year veteran postal clerk, Bruce Clark, 57, with no apparent warning punched postal supervisor, James Whooper III, 50, in the back of the head. Whooper simply stepped away to report the incident to his boss. Clark, too, left the room. Within a few minutes' Clark returned, carrying a brown paper bag. When Whooper asked him what was in the bag, Clark didn't reply. Instead, he withdrew a .38 caliber revolver the bag concealed. Instantly, he pulled the trigger. He shot Whooper twice, who died on the spot. Astonished workers subdued Clark and relieved him of his gun. The workers held him until the police arrived.PALATINE, ILLINOIS AUGUST 29, 1995A postal clerk, Dorsey Thomas, 53, walked within a few feet of fellow postal clerk, Mike Mielke, 41, and without a word, drew a .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol, pointed it at Mielke and fired five round, wounding Mielke. Thomas then calmly went down to the lobby of the facility and seen fellow postal worker, Steve Collura, 45, stopped, withdrew the gun, and fired the remaining two bullets wounding Collura. In the confusion Thomas calmly went to his car and went home. Police arrested him shortly after his arrival.PATTERSON, NEW JERSEY AUGUST 15, 1996A nine-year postal employee, Danny Isku, 38, called in sick August 15, 1996, he allegedly changed his mind a showed up at work at 8:30 a.m. He then went to the office where supervisor, Jerry Peterson, and a postal service labor representative, Richard Anastasi, were meeting. As the two stood up Isku pulled a .22 semiautomatic pistol from a brown paper bag and ordered Peterson to step into the hallway. Peterson lunged at Isku and reached for the weapon. At the same time Anastasi leaped in to try and subdue Isku. The gun went off. A bullet pierced Peterson's hand. Anastasi received a fractured hand as a result of attempting to subdue IskuMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN DECEMBER 18, 1997After being at work for 21/2 hours postal worker, Anthony DeCulit, 37, suddenly pulled out a 9mm handgun and shot supervisor, Joan Chitwood, 55, wounding her in the eye. DeCulit then shot and killed postal worker, Russell Dan Smith, 42, who had tried to protect Chitwood from DeCulit. DeCulit then fired at postal worker, Roderick Patterson, 44, as he fled the area wounding him in the foot. DeCulit was confronted by postal worker, Michael Witkowski, 46, who tried to talk DeCulit into putting down his gun. DeCulit then put the gun to his mouth killing himself.DENVER, COLORADO DECEMBER 24, 1997A former postal employee, David Jackson, entered the Denver General Mail Facility brandishing a weapon and took seven postal employees hostage. After approximately 10 hours Jackson surrendered.DALLAS, TEXAS APRIL, 17, 1998Postal clerk, Lavina Kelley-Shaw, 34, was fatally shot by letter carrier, Maceo Yarbough, 27, after they argued in the break room of the Northaven post office. The Yarbough fled the scene. He was apprehended shortly after the shooting. Shaw had 15 years with the postal service and Yarbough had 1 year.Riverside, California OCTOBER 6, 1998Disgruntled postal worker Joseph Neale took the mayor and two council members hostage Tuesday, then waged a gunbattle with police when the officers heard shots fired. Five people, including a policeman and the gunman, were wounded. No fatalities."Eternal Light Grant Unto Them O'Lord"
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