LONDON, Ky. (LEX 18) — On Wednesday, the family of Douglas Harless filed a lawsuit in Laurel Circuit Court against the London Police Department and numerous officers, along with the City of London, following the fatal police raid that killed Harless in his home, a release read.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for violations of Harless' constitutional rights and wrongful death under Kentucky law.
On the night of Dec. 23, 2024, several London police officers, some armed with AR-15 style rifles, arrived at Harless' home at 511 Vanzant Road in Lily purportedly searching for a stolen weed eater, the release explained. The officers attempted to execute a search warrant reportedly intended for a different residence, 489 Vanzant Road.
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"So they had every opportunity to go in broad daylight and read those clearly visible, conspicuous address numbers when they were there, and why in the world they came back, you know, at 10 minutes till midnight, looking for a weed eater," said Howard Mann of the Howard O. Mann Law Offices told LEX 18 Wednesday.
Just before midnight, officers made entry into his home and fired their guns, striking Harless multiple times and killing him, according to the release.
"They're pounding on the door. He was 63 years old, had blood pressure medication and probably some other medication, but I think his phone was found by his bed. The covers were turned down," the attorney said.
Harless, a 63-year-old maintenance worker, father and grandfather, had no criminal record beyond minor traffic infractions and was not a suspect in the underlying investigation, the release reported.
The complaint alleges that officers knowingly or recklessly raided the wrong home, ignored obvious signs that they were at the wrong address and acted outside their jurisdiction.
Investigators say Harless was armed with a gun when an officer fired multiple shots, killing him.
"It's unimaginable the fright, the terror, someone getting out of bed, especially at his age with pounding on the door, lights coming through the windows, and then a door gets smashed in. I can only imagine the terror that he had at that point about what was happening to him. And that would, and those were the last thoughts he had in his mind," said Mann.
Further, the release read, "Despite the months that have passed since Harless' death, the Kentucky State Police continue to withhold critical records, including the original and all known copies of the search warrant and supporting affidavit, citing a still ongoing investigation."
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"This was a completely preventable tragedy and has left my family heartbroken. Our Dad, Doug, was one of the hardest-working people we knew, always putting his family and friends first. He loved watching NASCAR, listening to music, and cracking jokes that made everyone laugh. We miss him every single day," said Nicki Lawson and Mona Alsip, daughters of Douglas Harless.
"No family should have to endure this kind of loss, and we want to hold the police accountable for their reckless error. As we grieve, we also ask for privacy to mourn and remember Dad," they said.
The lawsuit alleges violations of the Fourth and 14th Amendments, including unlawful search, excessive force and supervisory liability, as well as state-law claims for gross negligence, assault and battery, trespass, false imprisonment, privacy violations, outrageous conduct and wrongful death.
"Doug Harless was a friend to so many. He should have been safe at midnight in his own home, not killed because police went to the wrong address," said Howard O. Mann, Amanda Hill and Jeff Hill who also represent the Harless family.
"His death has left a hole in the family and community that cannot be filled, and both the public and his family deserve answers and justice," Howard Mann said.
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Lawyers say Harless' family deserves answers.
"Unimaginable to me that almost nine months after this event, this tragic, tragic event, that not us, not the family, not the news organizations, despite repeated requests, have been able to look and see if there even was a search warrant. For all we know, there wasn't a search warrant. Now I believe there was," said Mann.
They also say change is needed from top to bottom at the London Police Department.
"To say that, you know, they, these officers need to be retrained, I think they need to be terminated. And the London Police Department as a whole needs to go on, undergo training to make sure they comply with standards that are applicable to all police departments across the country. And they need to have body cams. You know, the fact that, you know, in this day and age, they didn't have body cameras when they're doing a raid in the middle of the night on someone's home, it's unfathomable," said Thomas.
On Tuesday the acting London Mayor Tracy Handley requested an update on the investigation into the shooting death of Harless from KSP Commissioner Colonel Phillip Burnett Jr. She specifically requested an investigation timeline, preliminary findings, and documents in the case.
