Indiana man sues IRS, saying wife killed herself 3 days after agents raided their home

Wrongful death suit says suicide followed IRS raid

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana man whose wife committed suicide three days after Internal Revenue Service agents raided their home is suing the U.S. government for wrongful death.

The government denies any responsibility for the death of Denise Simon, a 50-year-old mother of six from Fort Wayne.

Federal court papers say Simon left behind a note stating that she could not “live in terror of being accused of things I did not do.”

Her widower, James Simon, says in his lawsuit that Denise and their 10-year-old daughter were the only ones home when about 10 armed IRS agents raided their residence in November 2007.

The lawsuit, which is seeking unspecified damages, alleges that IRS agents made misleading statements to obtain a search warrant.

In court documents filed Tuesday, the government denies the allegations.