Raleigh seeks dismissal in Christmas parade lawsuit over Hailey Brooks death

Raleigh is asking a Wake County judge to throw out the civil claims tied to the death of 11-year-old Hailey Brooks, arguing that North Carolina law shields the city from liability for what Landen Glass did during the 2022 Christmas parade. The filing puts the city back at the center of a case that has become as much about public accountability as it is about one family’s loss in downtown Raleigh.

City attorneys say Raleigh had no legal authority to stop Glass or inspect his vehicles before the crash on Nov. 19, 2022, when Brooks was killed during the 79th Raleigh Christmas Parade. Hunt Choi argued that law enforcement officers and city officials lacked a legal basis to intervene before the collision. Andrew Seymour said the family’s theory amounts to an argument that the city did not provide enough safety measures, but he said governmental immunity still protects the municipality under long-standing state law.

That legal doctrine is now the dividing line. Under North Carolina law, cities can have immunity when a claim arises from a governmental function rather than a proprietary one. Jason Miller, the Brooks family’s attorney, has said the key question is whether the Christmas parade should be treated as a governmental function or a proprietary function, because that classification could decide whether Raleigh can be held responsible.

The family filed its wrongful-death lawsuit in October 2024 and later added the City of Raleigh and two city employees to the case. Over time, the family also dropped several other defendants, including C.C. & Co. Dance Complex and D&L Floats. If the city wins dismissal, the claims against Raleigh would fall away, but the family’s broader case over parade safety and the events that led to Brooks’ death would continue to define the fight.

Glass was charged by Raleigh police after the crash with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, careless and reckless driving, improper equipment, unsafe movement and carrying a firearm in a parade. He later pleaded guilty in November 2025 to obstruction of justice, death by motor vehicle and having a dangerous weapon at a parade, and received prison time and community service. Brooks’ family has continued that response through the Shine Like Hailey Foundation, which it founded in early 2023.

The case reaches beyond one tragedy. Raleigh City Council unanimously approved new motorized-parade regulations on June 18, 2024, including age requirements for drivers and safety inspections within 30 days of the event. The city later required parade participants to sign a waiver in November 2024, as the 80th Raleigh Christmas Parade moved ahead under tighter rules. However the judge rules, the question remains whether Raleigh’s duty to protect the public was enough, and what that means for trust in future events along the Raleigh Christmas Parade route.