Victims’ families sue killer’s doctor, father, lottery officials in Connecticut

Monday, March 6, 2000 | 9:29 a.m.

The statute of limitations on filing civil claims expires Monday, two years from the day that Matthew Beck murdered four top executives at the lottery's Newington office and then killed himself.

The dozens of lawsuits were filed in state Superior Court on Friday.

The suits accuse psychiatrist Peter R. Smith of malpractice for clearing Beck to return to his lottery accounting job from a stress-related leave of absence on Feb. 25, 1998. The shooting rampage occurred on March 6.

According to the lawsuits, Smith noted during 12 treatment sessions in four months that Beck "entertained vengeful thoughts towards his employers" and "showed an increase in paranoia."

Smith could not be reached for comment Saturday.

The lawsuits also claim the lottery corporation was negligent in allowing Beck to return to work without determining the extent of his mental illness, evaluating the danger he posed or providing adequate security and warning to potential victims.

In addition to the corporation, the lawsuits target Alfred DuPuis, the lottery's security director, and Karen Mehigan, the personnel director. According to the suits, DuPuis was once so worried about Beck he took his personal gun to work. Mehigan allegedly knew about Beck's suicidal history and obsession with weapons.

Lottery officials in a written statement declined to comment on the allegations. They said they had helped the families of the victims with financial, health and educational assistance and were "saddened" by the lawsuits.

Beck's father, Donald Beck, is also named in the lawsuits. Donald Beck allowed his son access to guns they both owned even though he knew of his son's psychological instability and his anger toward his bosses, the lawsuits claim. Beck, who was 35, had been living at his parents' home in Ledyard prior to the killings.

Donald Beck could not be reached for comment. A message was left at his home Saturday.

Killed in the shootings were Otho R. "Ott" Brown, the lottery president; Linda Blogoslawski Mlynarczyk, the chief financial officer; Frederick "Rick" Rubelmann, vice president of administration and operations; and Michael T. Logan, information systems manager.