Overview

• The victim’s son filed the lawsuit in 2024 seeking between $1 million and $5 million for funeral expenses, psychological care and lost spousal income.
• An initial civil hearing in June was postponed after Lyle’s defense attorneys failed to appear and the Hernández family’s lawyer withdrew from the case.
• Courts will reconvene on July 31 to assess whether the claimed damages can be proven under U.S. civil law.
• Lyle remains imprisoned in a Florida facility for inmates nearing release with no confirmed reduction of his five-year sentence.
• Under the lower civil burden of proof, the court could award compensatory damages even if Lyle’s ability to satisfy a judgment remains uncertain.