Fired Assistant Rejoins Amend At Coroner’s Office

An assistant county coroner fired eight years ago is back on the job.

Dexter Amend, Spokane County’s new coroner, said he named as chief deputy coroner Wally Langbehn, who was fired by Coroner Graham McConnell.

Amend also replaced a longtime secretary - who claims she was fired because she’s a Democrat - with the Republican state committeewoman for Spokane County.

Both Langbehn and Anne Franks are working part-time, perhaps temporarily.

As Amend’s right-hand man, Langbehn, a former funeral home director, will investigate some deaths when the coroner is not available, Amend said Monday.

Shortly after Langbehn was fired in 1987, he was accused of billing personal long-distance telephone calls to the county. The auditor’s office said it confirmed $202 worth of calls to Langbehn’s mother, son and daughter.

County Commissioner Steve Hasson said he has no problem with Langbehn returning to work for the coroner.

Langbehn was “railroaded” on “trumped-up charges,” Hasson said. “He worked very hard down there.”

“Wally does an excellent job as a coroner’s deputy, and I think I have evidence of that,” said Amend.

Langbehn downplays his new role at the coroner’s office. “Chief deputy? That’s probably a little heavy,” he said.

“He just calls me that.”

Langbehn said he is a temporary coroner’s employee. He also is self-employed, delivering death certificates.

“I’m here to advise him and help him through the transition,” said Langbehn.

Langbehn worked for the coroner’s office in the mid-1980s during Amend’s previous term as coroner. When McConnell ousted Amend, he also eliminated Langbehn’s position, saying he didn’t need the extra help.

At the time, Amend said McConnell was “dismantling what had proved to be an improved office.”

Langbehn said he isn’t even on the county payroll.

While deputy coroners aren’t technically county employees, they’re paid with county tax dollars, said Skip Wright, human resources director for Spokane County.

Amend also has fired coroner’s secretary Causna Albin, a 14-year employee who was notified the week before Amend took office.

County officials questioned the manner in which he fired Albin, but some said it probably is legal.

According to Albin, Amend came to the coroner’s office just before the New Year’s holiday weekend and told her she was working her last day.

Amend said he fired her because she had problems filling out paperwork.

Albin claims Amend, a Republican, fired her because she is a Democrat.

McConnell also objected, saying Amend didn’t have the right to fire Albin when he wasn’t even coroner yet.

The coroner has the right to fire his secretaries at will, said Wright. “They may revoke appointments at their pleasure. They don’t need any reason under the sun to say you’re finished.”

The coroner cannot, however, fire assistants for reasons of discrimination, such as age, sex or race, Wright said.

He said he isn’t sure if political preference qualifies as discrimination. Albin’s case “is kind of questionable in my mind,” Wright said.

“It’s perhaps more a matter of taste,” he said. “I’m not sure I would’ve done it that way.”

Commissioner Skip Chilberg questioned why Amend didn’t complain about Albin’s abilities during his first term as coroner.

“My understanding is Causna has always done very good work and it’s not a question of competence,” Chilberg said. “He didn’t take any action against her when he was coroner (before) and since then, he hasn’t worked with her.”

Amend gave Albin two weeks’ severance pay and called her “a great gal.”

The position for a full-time secretary is being advertised and Amend said he is taking applications.

Franks is working temporarily until someone is hired for the position, Amend said.