Holding Harris County Constables Accountable for Alleged Unlawful Entry Into Wrong Family’s Home
Harrington v. Lancaster et al.
On January 31st, 2024, Civil Rights Corps filed a federal lawsuit against three members of the Harris County Constables, Precinct 2 on behalf of Harris County resident Tyler Harrington. The complaint alleges that officers James Lancaster, Nathaniel Cano, and Jared Lindsay conducted a warrantless no-knock entry into Mr. Harrington’s home in the middle of the night and held him at gunpoint, despite questioning aloud whether they were at the wrong house. The complaint raises several claims against the defendants, including violations of the Fourth Amendment for unlawful entry, unlawful search, unlawful seizure, and excessive force.
According to the complaint, the officers responded to a 911 call for a “knock” on a back door, but arrived at Mr. Harrington’s house, which they knew or should have known was the wrong house. The complaint alleges that the defendants then barged into Mr. Harrington’s house with guns drawn, and found him and his family sleeping. At that point, according to the complaint, the officers questioned aloud whether they were at the right address, but nevertheless exited and re-entered the house without confirming the address. The complaint alleges that the defendants held Mr. Harrington at gunpoint, in his boxers, until they verified that he lived in his home, thereby subjecting Mr. Harrington to agonizing emotional pain, fear, and severe ongoing emotional and psychological injuries.
This is not the first time one of the defendants has been accused of violating a person’s constitutional rights. In 2020, defendant Jared Lindsay, then an employee of Precinct 7, was sued for allegedly strangling and tasing a man following a traffic stop. The Fifth Circuit also denied him qualified immunity in that case. Nor is Mr. Harrington the first Harris County resident to experience police officers raiding the wrong home. In 2020, former Houston Police Department officer Louis Rodriguez filed an internal affairs complaint against the Harris County Sheriff’s Department for allegedly attempting to serve a warrant at the wrong address, breaking down his door, and pulling him and his son outside. In 2019, Houston Police Department officers killed 2 innocent people in a botched raid that began with a neighbor fraudulently calling the police.
The lawsuit is seeking a declaration that the defendants violated Mr. Harrington’s constitutional rights, damages, and attorneys’ fees.
The District Court originally dismissed the case, but on May 4, 2026, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed, holding, “[q]ualified immunity . . . does not shield the officers from Harrington’s unlawful-entry, search, and seizures claims arising from the second entry.”
Media Coverage:
Man held at gunpoint after officers entered wrong home challenges qualified immunity rulings | Courthouse News Service | Mar 4, 2026
Harris County deputies sued after mistakenly entering wrong home with guns drawn, shocking homeowners | Houston Chronicle | Feb 14, 2024
Houston-area police entered a home without a warrant and held an innocent couple at gunpoint, federal lawsuit says | Houston Public Media | Feb 1, 2024
Partners:
RISE Houston
Filings:
Reply Brief of Appellant (Fifth Circuit) (Dec 11, 2025)
Appellant Brief (Fifth Circuit) (Oct 21, 2025)
Surreply in Opposition to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (Apr 12, 2024)
Response in Opposition to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (Mar 27, 2024)
Complaint (Jan 31, 2024)
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