Westmoreland County will pay $20,000 to settle a federal lawsuit filed by a South Greensburg man who claimed he was beaten by a jail guard.
The settlement involves Keith Lilliock, 52, who is awaiting trial on criminal charges that he lured and sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl.
County commissioners voted last week to resolve the civil rights lawsuit, which Lilliock filed in 2024 over an incident he said occurred a year earlier while detained at the Hempfield prison. According to the lawsuit, Lilliock contended a guard removed him from a cell, took him behind a counter, threw him against a wall and beat him.
Lilliock claimed he sustained injuries to his face, head, lower back, right hip and right rib cage.
Court records show the case was settled just prior to jury selection, which was scheduled to begin May 19 in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh. Lilliock’s civil attorney, Joel Sansone, did not respond to requests for comment.
Westmoreland commissioners approved the settlement without comment. Commissioner Doug Chew later noted the county was not permitted to publicly discuss the terms.
In court documents filed in March, county lawyers representing the three guards named as defendants denied Lilliock’s allegations, arguing there was no evidence to support the claims.
Lilliock was transferred from the Westmoreland County Prison to the Washington County jail on March 28, 2023, the date of the alleged assault. County lawyers contended Washington jail officials reported that Lilliock did not appear to have any injuries when he arrived at their facility.
Lilliock was returned to the Westmoreland jail three months later, where he remained until his release on a $5,000 unsecured bond. A judge placed Lilliock on house arrest in September 2023 after ruling county prosecutors failed to bring his criminal case to trial within six months, as required by the state’s speedy trial law.
Lilliock’s criminal trial is scheduled to begin in August before Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger. In that case, he faces charges of indecent assault, child luring and related offenses in connection with the investigation of a young runaway from Youngwood.
State police said the 11-year-old girl intended to ride her bicycle to Pittsburgh to visit a relative when Lilliock approached her at a Latrobe gas station and offered a ride. Police said Lilliock groped the girl in his vehicle, then drove her to a friend’s home.
According to court records, Lilliock confirmed to police that he gave the girl a ride but denied touching her inappropriately.