Johnny Lee Wicks, identified as the man who opened fire at the federal courthouse Monday morning in downtown Las Vegas, has been at odds with the federal government over Social Security benefits for about two years. ...Probably, Mr. Wicks' psychiatric problems were too severe for any explanation or kindness to get through to him but this tragedy does underline the importance of good customer service even to claimants who are obviously deranged. Who knows how many similar incidents have been headed off by gentle, patient explanations?Wicks moved from California to Nevada in January 2008 and called the Social Security Administration’s Nevada office soon thereafter to change his address, according to an August 2009 report in the case by U.S. Magistrate Judge George Foley Jr.
Wicks likely was surprised and upset to learn that his Social Security benefits would be reduced due to the move because he would be losing a "California State Supplement’’ of $317 a month to his federal Social Security benefits. ...
Foley’s report shows Wicks had in-person meetings with a Social Security case manager at the agency office at 1250 S. Buffalo Drive as well as telephone and U.S. mail contact with the agency before filing his suit.
"Plaintiff met with (the case manager), who was allegedly disrespectful and told the plaintiff to move back to California,’’ Foley’s report says.
Things may have gotten worse in February 2008 when Wicks received a notice from the Nevada Social Security office that he had been overpaid $317 and asked him to repay the money and saying that, otherwise, it would withhold $63.70 per month beginning in May 2008.
The agency later found Wicks did not need to repay the overpaid $317, records show.
Nevertheless, Wicks filed his lawsuit alleging that in cutting his benefits, his civil rights were violated by the agency because of his race (black).
"Lots of state workers and agencies have taken part in this scam, mainly for old blacks who are not well educated,’’ Wicks charged in the lawsuit, in which he had no attorney and represented himself.
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Jan 5, 2010
More On Las Vegas Shootings
From the Las Vegas Sun:
I agree with your comments mr hall. But i will also add,a black male who was of sixty six years of age has most certainly seen a fair amount of discrimination through jim crow,possibly coupled with delusional thoughts,possibly was the cause of that situation.
ReplyDeleteOf course this is speculation.
And how do you know he did not get a simple kind explanation? His rantings to the court - where he alleged that a TSR called the manager of his apartment house to tell him/her not to help Wicks?
ReplyDeleteI suspect that the statement about moving back to California was uttered, if at all, in the context of a response to Wick's query as to how to get teh California supplement back.
The Agency waived the overpayment. There was nothing more that could have been done in terms of his benefits.
In response to the first comment, I'll say anyone of any race who is 66 years old has seen a fair amount of discrimination. If a better qualified person is denied a job or a promotion because of affirmative action, he/she has seen discrimination. So, just get over it.
ReplyDelete"If a better qualified person is denied a job or a promotion because of affirmative action"
ReplyDelete#3. I would agree with you. But thats not every affirmative action case,to assume otherwise suggest a superioty complex.
Turns out Wicks had killed before (served time for manslaughter (kiled his brother)) and hada long criminal record including sexual assault. From press reposrts, it appears that he always blamed everything on racism.
ReplyDeleteHmm, was his brother a racist, or the woman he raped?
At least his death avoids the expenditure of taxpayer dollars for a trial and incarceration.
His "Social Security" benefits did not get cut. He was receiving Supplemental Security Income, which is disability and/or age-based welfare paid out of general revenue funds. It would be nice if the media would make an attempt to understand the difference. The article makes it sound like his entitlement was cut, when actually, his welfare payment was reduced because he moved from one state to another. Articles like this do little to clarify the situation.
ReplyDeleteAs far as a "kind explanation," some people only hear what they want to hear, and no explanation will change that.
And some people are just aggressive and crazy.
Good riddence to this sick, criminal, black-racist sociopath.
ReplyDeleteSo sad that the Federal marshall had to pay with his life.
I agree with the poster that noted that this was clearly an SSI check but was showing as SSA, which has all kinds of folks blabbing about "it was his money" even though it was taxpayer money. I work in an office where we are constantly talking to these SSI folks about why their checks are cut and it is annoying, since most of them don't won't to hear about rental subsidy or how they should have told us when they moved back in with their spouse and other thing that cut off their SSI checks. It really sickens me that he tried to blame race for his cut, but I have had people tell me that I am racist to them too, and they weren't Blacks.
ReplyDelete