Dystiny Myers' family formally files lawsuit over possession of skull

The mother and grandmother of 15-year-old murder victim Dystiny Myers formally filed a lawsuit against the county on Wednesday, claiming the District Attorney’s Office kept the teen’s skull without the family’s permission.

The county had previously rejected a claim filed by Myers’ mother, Aileen Lucas, and grandmother, Kathy Clark.

The lawsuit seeks economic and punitive damages related to stress the plaintiffs allegedly suffered when they discovered Myers’ skull had not been buried.

The family said they learned during the trial of now-convicted murderers Rhonda Wisto and Jacob York that the District Attorney’s Office kept the skull so an expert witness could refer to photos of it during testimony.

Nina Negranti, chief deputy county counsel, previously said the claim had no merit and that the prosecution did not act inappropriately. She said this week that the county has not yet received a copy of the complaint.

The skull is currently in the county’s possession and the family can retrieve it.

This story was originally published March 28, 2014 at 5:45 PM with the headline "Dystiny Myers' family formally files lawsuit over possession of skull."