Lawsuit against Curry County continued

Staff writer

[email protected]

CLOVIS — After listening to two and one half days of testimony, a district court jury will return to the courtroom Monday to decide the fate of a civil lawsuit filed against Curry County by a former jail administrator.

Just after 5 p.m. Friday, after consulting with the attorneys for the plaintiff and the defendants, presiding Fifth Judicial District Judge William Shoobridge addressed the jury and provided insight into what is anticipated next week.

“We’re going to go ahead and recess until Monday morning,” he said. “Hopefully when you come back, we’ll start off with the (jury) instructions, then the attorneys will argue the case and you’ll be sent into deliberations.”

Former jail administrator Gerry Billy is alleging he was fired, at least in part, because one of his employees wanted to form a labor union. County officials are disputing the claim, saying even Billy recognized the employee’s efforts to form a union on taxpayer time were in violation of county policy and that he disciplined the employee at the time. The county says it simply declined to renew Billy’s employment contract within terms of their agreement.

The legal proceedings began Wednesday, with jury selection during the morning and testimony beginning later in the afternoon.

Billy filed the lawsuit in 2014 against Curry County under the state Whistleblower Protection Act, maintaining wrongful termination. He is seeking $400,000 in damages and 10 of 12 jurors would need to rule in Billy’s favor in order for the plaintiff to be awarded judgment.

Billy, who was the jail’s administrator from Jan. 12, 2012, to Jan. 8, 2013, is represented by Eric Dixon. The defendants — Lance Pyle, Robert Sandoval, Frank Blackburn, Ben McDaniel, Wendell Bostwick and Tim Ashley — are represented by Bryan and Barbara Evans.