He is trying to get back a job that he voluntarily gave up with his plea agreement. Robbie agreed that he would not seek a position with the Pocahontas County law enforcement. He volunteered to give up his job in exchange for not being prosecuted. That was the deal. He quit the job on his own. He was not terminated! The county commissioners did not damage his reputation; he "shot" it to pieces all by himself. The county shouldn't have to take the blame for what Robbie did on his own.
Wonder what Kathy Beverage has to say about this deal?
Robbie was at the end of the his shift and still in his uniform. The buddies had to strip his shirt off so that the nurses wouldn't raise questions. He drove their in a cruiser and he shot the cruiser. The cruiser had to be hidden away at Alkire Sr's and Robbie was hidden in the Motor Inn for three days.
Why isn't Sheriff Alkire being sued by Robbie? Could it be because the sheriff was his father?
its hard for me to blame dad too much as any father would try to protect thier kids.but he never should of had him as a employee that was the real mistake.
What kind of example is he setting for the GOOD citizen's of PC. If that would have been me, I would be spending Christmas at TVRJ. Know what I mean. He needs to move on with his life. I would have to agree with sideshow.
Two former deputies are suing county officials, both asking for punitive damages and court costs. And one of them wants his job back.
In a complaint filed last week, former deputy sheriff Robert R. Alkire, II, contends that he was never “formally notified†that he had been terminated from his job, but found out from the news media.
Alkire II is suing county commissioners Reta Griffith and Martin Saffer and former county commissioner James Carpenter, both individually and in their official capacities. He also names County Clerk Sandra Friel in the suit.
Alkire served as deputy under his father, Robert R. Alkire, who left office at the end of his term in 2008.
Near the end of November 2007, the younger Alkire was placed on administrative leave with pay after an incident in Marlinton during which he fired his duty weapon in public, but was not on duty at the time. He was subsequently charged with felony wanton endangerment. The investigation was led by a West Virginia State Police Trooper not stationed in Pocahontas County.
In March 2008, Alkire II pleaded guilty to misdemeanor brandishing a deadly weapon. He was fined $500 and assessed court costs of $160.50. The six-month jail sentence was suspended and he was placed on probation for one year. As part of his plea agreement Alkire II agreed he would not seek a law enforcement position “or be employed as such in Pocahontas County.â€
He has since been hired as a municipal officer in Ronceverte.
The complaint says Alkire II was never given written notification of the reason for his termination and was not afforded a hearing with the police civil service commission. Alkire II said his termination was “arbitrary, capricious and politically motivated†and that commissioners either circulated or caused to be circulated publicly “untrue and defamatory statements†which have damaged his reputation and that he has suffered economic damages and will continue to suffer economic damages in the future. Alkire II has “suffered severe emotional distress and
damages to this [sic] reputation,†the suit says.
Sheriff David Jonese said Monday Alkire II has not applied for a job in the Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Department since he took office this year.
Deputy Ben Wilfong has filed petition for a writ of mandamus to compel Jonese to reinstate him to active duty. Wilfong was suspended from his duties without pay after he was arrested for obtaining goods under false pretenses and four counts of counterfeiting.
Wilfong was allegedly in arrears at a local feed store and attempted to say he had paid the bills there by falsifying checks written on a non-existent account at
Pendleton Community Bank.
Those charges against him were dropped and Wilfong’s complaint says he has made repeated attempts to return to active duty. The lawsuit further says that Jonese has not provided him any “reasonable explanation†why he cannot return to active duty.
Wilfong is asking for an expedited hearing, along with his attorney fees, court costs and further relief deemed necessary by the court.
Jonese’s response to the writ of mandamus says that Wilfong does not have the
right to reinstatement because of a precedent set in a 1990 case that says “dismissal… should not hinge upon whether there is a subsequent conviction of the charge, rather it should be determined by whether there was misconduct of a substantial nature affecting the rights and interests of the public.â€
Jonese’s answer says he does not have a legal duty to reinstate Wilfong because
the deputy had no contract. Further, Wilfong did not seek a hearing with the Civil
Service Board before filing the writ, thus did not seek other adequate remedies, the response said.
Jonese is also asking the court for attorney’s fees and any other relief the judge deems necessary.
The criminal investigation, which is now in the hands of Greenbrier County Prosecuting Attorney Pat Via, is still pending.
