Victim in shooting sues husband's killer

MINDEN - Lorelle Chorkey has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against convicted killer Christopher Fiegehen for the murder of her husband, Al Chorkey, at their Johnson Lane area home.

Fiegehen is serving two consecutive life sentences without parole in Ely State Prison for the Feb. 10, 2002, slaying.

Lorelle Chorkey's attorney, Kenneth Lyon of Freeman and Routsis Law Offices in Reno, said Friday she filed the civil lawsuit "more or less to obtain closure through this means as well."

"Certainly for what happened, there are civil ramification that we're trying to address and put finality to," he said.

Three claims for relief are made in the lawsuit filed in district court on Feb. 6. In the wrongful death claim, Chorkey seeks "an amount in excess of $10,000" for the pain, suffering and disfigurement of her husband, who bled to death after Fiegehen stabbed him.

The $10,000 amount is the minimum figure needed to enter the suit in district court and is not indicative of the amount of money sought, according to Lyon.

"We list the damages at over $10,000 to breach the threshold jurisdiction," he said. "I fully expect there to be a judgment well above $10,000."

The suit lists claims for negligence and battery.

The negligence claim is for Chorkey's mental, physical and nervous pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages and injury to her health, strength and activity. The battery claim is for willful and unlawful use of force of violence with use of a deadly weapon on Lorelle Chorkey, who was shot through her lung and her head.

Lyon said he expects a default judgment would be reached simply because Fiegehen is in prison.

"In a default judgment we would go down and have a hearing with the court to prove the damages, determine a damage figure and issue a judgment that would be recorded and pursued."

Because Fiegehen was an adult at the time of the crime, the liability for the claims would not extend to his parents.

"We recognize there may be no means of collecting on any judgment, but we thought it was the right thing to do," Lyon said. "Mrs. Chorkey has very severe injuries as a result of what happened."

Contact Maggie O'Neill at mo'neill@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 214.