McKnight gets $15,000 from Shilling estate

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WILLIAMSPORT - A Lycoming County judge has awarded former Clinton County District Attorney Ted McKnight damages for emotional distress caused by repeated threats from a man who died more than a year ago. Judge William S. Kieser Wednesday at the conclusion of a non-jury trial awarded McKnight $10,000 in compensatory damages and $5,000 in punitive damages from the estate of Lynn R. Shilling, a former fifth grade teacher in Keystone Central School District. McKnight sued Shilling in 2002 after he said he received between 50 and 100 threats directed at him, his wife and daughter. Shilling also had filed documents in Clinton County entitled "mandamus" and "fraud on the court" related to his criminal prosecution. The court summarily dismissed both documents. According to trial testimony, Shilling was upset with McKnight for prosecuting him three times in 1993 and blamed the prosecutor for the break-up of his marriage. The prosecutions, McKnight testified, stemmed from Shilling illegally entering a home, assaulting a professional man outside the Lock Haven Post Office and refusing to leave an Amish farm. At times, in correspondence to local newspapers, in court documents and during court hearings in Clinton County, Shilling claimed he was Jesus Christ, McKnight said. The threats caused him great concern because there were reports Shilling kept a pistol in his car parked outside the school where he taught, McKnight said. McKnight said based on the messages he received, he was convinced Shilling would at some point try to kill him. McKnight said he was so concerned about the possibility he often carried a weapon or mace, and had a baseball bat nearby in his office. The reason he chose to file suit against Shilling in 2002 was the hope the threats would stop if the teacher realized he could lose money and property, McKnight testified. The threats continued until a judgment was entered against Shilling, he said. McKnight said he made the decision not to pursue damages at that time because he did not want to further upset Shilling. Shilling died from natural causes in January 2007 and the estate claimed McKnight was not entitled to damages because the general public was unaware of Shillings two court filings in 2002. It also questioned whether Shilling had intent or was reacting from a severe mental disability. The defense also questioned whether McKnight, a "seasoned long-time" district attorney would be distressed by Shilling's two filings. It also noted McKnight did not expend any of his own money to fight the filings, which were dismissed without a response. However, McKnight testified concern for the safety of himself and his family also stemmed from threats he received, some of which were sent to people in the community. Robert Lugg, who represented the estate, noted in a court document, the amount available for distribution in the estate was about $24,000. The trial was moved to Lycoming County because the Clinton County judges had recused themselves. Shilling's son, who is a beneficiary of the estate, is serving a life sentence in state prison. Earl John Shilling was sentenced in 2002 after being found guilty of first-degree murder and related counts in the shooting death of his mother in their Mill Hall home two years earlier.