PRESTONSBURG, Ky. — A special judge from Boyd County has dismissed claims against the City of Prestonsburg, its police department and several county officials in a lawsuit filed by the estate of Amber Spradlin, who was murdered in June 2023.

Judge John Vincent granted summary judgment to the defendants in an order entered Wednesday.

The lawsuit, filed by Spradlin’s estate, alleged that decisions involving emergency dispatch services and the operation of the 911 system contributed to failures in the response to her death.

The estate alleged that members of the Floyd County Fiscal Court improperly transferred emergency dispatch services to Prestonsburg and that the city and its police department failed to adequately plan, staff and operate the system.

The court ruled that Judge-Executive Robbie Williams and magistrates Mark Crider and George Ousley were protected by legislative immunity for their actions involving the dispatch agreement. The judge also granted summary judgment to the City of Prestonsburg and the Prestonsburg Police Department, finding that the Kentucky Claims Against Local Government Act barred the claims against them.

The court noted that the lawsuit challenged discretionary governmental decisions, including how the 911 system was planned, staffed and operated.

Claims against former Prestonsburg Police Chief Randy Woods and former Mayor Les Stapleton in their official capacities were dismissed as redundant. However, the court’s order allows claims against Woods and Stapleton in their individual capacities to proceed.

The ruling does not resolve the entire lawsuit, but it dismisses all claims against the defendants who sought summary judgment.

Spradlin was murdered at the home of Michael McKinney II during the early morning hours of June 18, 2023. The court’s order states that two calls were made from McKinney’s residence, with the second call requiring an emergency response.

The Kentucky State Police investigated Spradlin’s murder.

The case remains pending against Woods and Stapleton in their individual capacities, as well as against Michael McKinney, M.K. McKinney and Roy Kidd.

A copy of the judge’s Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Summary Judgment follows: