Daughter Sues US West In Mother's Murder

PORTLAND - The daughter of a murder victim is suing US West after a telephone worker helped the killer get into the victim's house.

Dannella Bletson, 62, was stabbed to death by her drug-addicted son, Harrison Bletson, who also stole his mother's money to buy crack cocaine.

Rosa Washington, Dannella Bletson's daughter, filed a wrongful-death suit Tuesday against US West, saying an employee of the Denver-based telecommunications company lent Harrison Bletson a ladder to get into the house.

Harrison Bletson apparently convinced the employee, Robert Minor, that Bletson was locked out of the house and needed the ladder to get back in.

"The negligence of defendant Minor was a substantial contributing factor to the above-described death of Dannella P. Bletson," the lawsuit said.

In December, Harrison Bletson was convicted of aggravated murder and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 30 years.

US West spokesman Jim Haynes said the company could not comment while the lawsuit was pending.

News of the lawsuit on local TV stations prompted callers to a radio talk show and others to question whether the employee should be sued because he did someone a favor.

Mark McDougal, the Portland lawyer representing Rosa Washington, said the case has nothing to do with whether people should be neighborly. "You would know your neighbors. Do you help a stranger into your neighbor's house? No," he said.