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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A lawsuit filed by Luzerne County against Schindler Elevator Corp. stemming from the deaths of a correctional officer and an inmate in the county lockup has been formally dropped.</p><p>The county filed its formal withdrawal of the suit Thursday through attorney Sean McDonough. The litigation was filed last year by the county, seeking to secure funds to help repair an elevator involved in the two deaths.</p><p>On July 18, 2016, correctional officer Kristopher Moules, 25, was tackled by inmate Timothy Darnell Gilliam Jr., 27, at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. The two struck an elevator door, causing it to buckle. Both men fell nearly 60 feet down the elevator shaft and were killed.</p><p>As reported by the Times Leader in January, Luzerne County Council entered into what is being called a &#8220;global settlement&#8221; of the litigation stemming from the deaths. The county will receive $25,000 from Schindler to help fund repairs to the elevator.</p><p>Previously, Schindler added the county as a defendant in separate litigation filed by Gilliam&#8217;s estate against the company. In response, the county filed its own suit, claiming work by Schindler and other companies resulted in costing taxpayers more than $180,000.</p><p>McDonough&#8217;s filing Thursday indicates the county&#8217;s agreement with the elevator company had officially come to fruition. He filed to have the suit dismissed with prejudice, which means it cannot be refiled in the future for any reason.</p><p>The county was also released from any liability as part of the settlement.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

County officially drops lawsuit against elevator company