NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The parents of Jillian Ludwig have filed a $50 million lawsuit against several organizations and people in Nashville, including Belmont University, the city of Nashville and the state of Tennessee.
Jillian, 18, was shot and killed last year on Nov. 7. She was running on the track in the Edgehill Community Gardens Park near Belmont University, where she was a freshman. She lay there for an hour before anyone found her.
The lawsuit claims several people and organizations contributed to her death including the Metro Development and Housing Agency (MDHA), a gun supplier, doctors who mentally evaluated the man suspected of killing Jillian, and the suspect himself — Shaquille Taylor.
Taylor had been declared mentally incompetent in the past — which means he had to be released. In May 2023, Taylor was released from custody after three court-appointed psychologists deemed him incompetent to stand trial. They found he didn't pose an imminent threat to himself or others. Then in September 2023, Taylor was charged with auto theft and released on bail, but an arrest warrant was issued for him when he failed to show up for court.
Jillian's parents, Matthew and Jessica Ludwig, wrote in the lawsuit that their daughter's life ended due to negligence and recklessness.
I am going to break down this 24-page lawsuit, which has nearly a dozen defendants.
Who the defendants are
The Ludwigs are suing the following:
- MDHA
- A security guard employed to secure the MDHA property
- Metro government
- A police officer with the Metro Nashville Police Department
- Belmont University
- the state of Tennessee
- Doctors who evaluated the suspect Shaquille Taylor
- A security agent for Belmont University
- A gun supplier
- suspect Shaquille Taylor
Who the suspect is
Taylor, 30, has an intellectual disability and language impairment, according to court records obtained by NewsChannel 5.
That determination meant he wasn't able to participate in a trial where he was accused of shooting into a car in 2021 off of Dickerson Pike where a 3-year-old and 1-year-old were in the back seat. He admitted to detectives in 2021 that he did it.
Taylor was the co-defendant in the case, and he was originally charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. By law, Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton had to dismiss the case because he was deemed incompetent.
"In my opinion, Mr. Taylor does not possess adjudicative competence due to his intellectual disability and language impairment," Dr. Mary Elizabeth Wood wrote in a forensic assessment report for the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Development Disabilities. "He understands the allegations and recognizes that his liberty interests as the accused are at risk. He was easily confused with basic questions. There was limited ability to provide his attorney with relevant information about his case."
The evaluation by Dr. Wood wasn't the only one Taylor underwent. In 2010, when Taylor was a teenager, he was referred to the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities where doctors found he was "incompetent and not restorable," meaning his disability couldn't get better. The report in 2010 determined that Taylor had an intellectual disability from being born with pneumonia that led to an infection in his brain, according to court documents.
His mother, Tondalayia Cox, testified that Taylor functioned "on a kindergarten level."
What the lawsuit tells us about the defendants
The Ludwig family, in the suit, said that Belmont University had a duty to inform students about the areas around campus, including those that frequently face crime.
"Belmont University knew, or should have known, that certain sections of Edgehill Community Memorial Gardens Park, were in close
proximity high crime areas and was an unsafe area to visit," the lawsuit stated.
The lawsuit explained that Taylor lived at the MDHA property adjacent to the park. They also sued an unidentified security guard who served the MDHA property.
They also sued an Metro police officer, who they said failed to investigate the area when the gunshots were fired in the park.
In the lawsuit, the Ludwig family discovered a mental evaluation where Taylor said he understood the 2023 charges against him.
Because of that, the suit spells out why they chose to sue Jenny Matthai, Michael Loftin and Mary Elizabeth Wood, who helped determine Taylor's level of competency. The three of them are employed by the state and Metro, according to the suit.
"(They) further knew while Taylor was in their custody and control that he had a specific history of violence and gun violence. Further, (they) knew or should have known in the exercise of sound professional judgment that Taylor would likely harm others if released."
The Ludwig family is also suing a gun supplier. It wasn't clear at the time of the shooting where Taylor got the gun. He should not legally be allowed to purchase a gun because he's a convicted felon. The family claims the gun supplier failed to run a background check on Taylor to see if he was a felon.
Jillian's Law
Jillian's family pushed for state law to change since her death, and they were successful.
This year, the law changed to say those found unfit would have to receive inpatient or outpatient treatment, and the court would have to keep up with their progress. That person would also never be allowed to own a firearm again. If that person were able to regain competency, the person's criminal proceedings would restart, meaning they could stand trial for their crimes.
House Majority Leader William Lamberth sponsored the bill. He and Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, worked on this legislation after Jillian died.
Her parents stood in the House gallery with a portrait of Jillian in their hands when the bill passed.
What Belmont University says
“This is new information as we have not yet been served with this lawsuit and need time to review. What we can tell you is that our entire campus shares in the continued grief of Jillian’s death, and we have been and remain deeply committed to the safety of our students.” —Belmont University
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at emily.west@newschannel5.com.
Get ready to get inspired - Tad found a second purpose later in life, turning his hobby into his full-time gig. He helps the planet, helps homeowners and finds fulfillment in a slower pace after being on the front-line during the pandemic.
-Rebecca Schleicher
