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2nd Ex-Liquor Inspector Sues Commission

Former Worker Says He Was Threatened, Harassed For Cooperating In Probe

POSTED: 4:02 pm HST February 20, 2004

KITV 4 News has learned that a second former liquor investigator has filed a "whistleblower" lawsuit against the Honolulu Liquor Commission. He's the second investigator to say he was forced to resign when co-workers found out he was cooperating in a federal bribery probe.

The two men's undercover work and inside information led to the federal indictments of eight fellow liquor investigators. Five of those indicted have already pleaded guilty to extortion and other charges. However, the two men who helped in the probe say their co-workers harassed them and managers did nothing to stop it.

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Kerry Shannon recently sued five top liquor commission officials, including chairman John Spierling and its administrator, Wally Weatherwax.

Shannon's lawsuit makes similar allegations, saying those officials found out about his cooperation in the corruption probe after just one month. After that, Shannon's suit said he was "subjected to a pattern of harassment and threats and other types of hostility," which was designed to intimidate him.

Shannon claimed his work environment became "...so hostile and unpleasant that he was forced to resign."

Shannon quit his job last February.

Former inspector Charles Wiggins asked that KITV 4 News hide his identity because of death threats he received.

In December, he told KITV 4 News liquor investigators routinely solicited and accepted bribes.

"It was just out of control, and there was absolutely no accountability for any actions by the investigators," Wiggins said.

The city paid him $387,000 to settle a whistleblower lawsuit, in which he said he was discriminated against and harassed for cooperating in the federal probe, which led to eight bribery indictments.

"There was talk among the investigators that anybody who opened their mouth would be killed," Wiggins said.

Liquor Commission officials did not respond to KITV 4 News' requests for comment.

Here's a correction to a story KITV 4 News did about Wiggins in December. The station incorrectly reported that all of the investigators working on the night shift were indicted on bribery charges. That wasn't correct.

While eight out of 11 night shift investigators were charged with wrongdoing, three others were not.

One of those three who wasn't charged is Shannon.

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