Convicted Murderer Suing Victim's Family

As if losing her husband in a brutal act of crime wasn't enough, a murder victim's wife is now being sued by the convicted killer from behind bars as he serves a 31-year sentence for the grisly slaying.

Found guilty in the murder of his former friend Robert Henry in 2001, convicted killer Larry Shandola filed a lawsuit in December against the man's wife, Paula Henry, suing her and others for $100,000 each, claiming Paula Henry barred his transfer from a Washington state prison to a prison in his native country of Canada. Henry's move to block Shandola's transfer has caused the killer "intentional inflections of emotional distress," and was an "invasion of his privacy," according to the lawsuit.

The case has already drawn condemnation and outrage from professionals across the legal industry. Henry's lawyer John Ladenburg appeared in Tacoma, Wash. Friday, urging the court to dismiss the lawsuit and provide restitution to recuperate lawyer fees. Ladenburg is also calling on the court to provide better protection for victims' families in the future against such "frivolous" antagonism.

"[Shandola] had somebody track her down and had papers served on her at her apartment, and she called me that night - terrified and crying - saying that friends were coming over and that she's moving out right away," Ladenburg explained to Postmedia News.

He added: "People incarcerated often file frivolous lawsuits, but they're normally attempts to get out. I've never seen this ... We're asking not only for the court to throw this out, but we're also asking the [state] legislature to create a new law here that says anybody convicted of a violent crime - like murder, rape, armed robbery - cannot sue anybody involved in the case without the permission of the presiding judge."

Henry says she's flabbergasted and mortified by Shandola's nerve. She says she can't imagine having to relive her husband's murder all over again.

"This should not happen to people," Henry said. "I will tell you that, this should not happen to people."

Shandola is serving time for the gruesome murder of Henry's husband in 1995 after their relationship spoiled over a failed business idea and lawsuit stemming from an incident at a New Years Eve party in 1993 when the two apparently came to blows. Shandola plead guilty to an assault charge at the celebration. However, Henry also sued the man for medical expenses and dental costs. Robert Henry won a summary judgement in the case on Sept. 1, 1995, a mere nine days before he was gunned down in the parking lot of the electrical company where he worked.

Wearing a back ski mask, Shandola walked up to Henry, who was still behind the wheel of his car, aimed a shotgun at his head, fired in front of several witnesses, and sped off on a black motorcycle parked close by. Shandola has maintained his innocence in the crime.

Many in the legal community agree Shandola's lawsuit is indicative of serious oversight in the current system.

"A convicted murderer should not be able to sue the surviving spouse of the victim," Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said. "That highlights an absolute absurdity in the law and we need to fix this."