Pretrial conference Oct. 2 in lawsuit filed by Kingsland widow
Justin Paul Harrod was shot and killed by Llano County sheriff's deputies at his Kingsland home in October 2022. His wife, Jillian Harrod, filed a civil lawsuit against the county in April 2024. Courtesy photo
A pretrial conference in an excessive force lawsuit against Llano County is 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. Deadlines for settlement offers and a date for a jury trial will be set during the meeting between the civil suit’s parties.
Jillian Harrod of Kingsland filed the suit on April 11, charging the Llano County Sheriff’s Office with excessive use of force when her husband, Justin Paul Harrod, was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies in his front yard on Oct. 3, 2022.
Jillian Harrod v. Llano County et al. also charges that Justin Harrod’s civil rights, as outlined in the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, were violated. The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Kaplan Law Firm filed the suit on behalf of Jillian Harrod. The defendants in the suit are Llano County Sheriff Bill Blackburn and deputies Bryon Cervantez and Randy “Ty” Shaw, who are represented by Jason Eric Magee of Allison, Bass & Magee LLP in Austin.
The pretrial conference will set a date for a trial as well as deadlines for both sides to make settlement offers, to turn over lists of any experts who might be called to testify and all documents to the opposing party in a process known as discovery.
The plaintiff seeks actual, compensatory, and exemplary damages, court costs, attorney fees and expenses.
Jillian Harrod v. Llano County et al. is one of four lawsuits Llano County currently faces. A fifth was dismissed Sept. 26.