Man Awarded $175,000 After Alleged Jailhouse Beating

A man who says he was beaten while serving time inside the jail will get some of his medical expenses paid.

Hamilton County commissioners listened to the case of Gary Arnold today and then made their final decision.

But not every Commissioner agreed.

Gary Arnold says he was beaten in the Hamilton County jail by an inmate and nearly died back in 2005. He was taken to Erlanger Medical Center but had no medical insurance at the time. Arnold is asking Hamilton County to pay his medical bills. The Board of Commissioners deferred the resolultion until today.

"Motion failed. Mr. Chairman 5-4 motion fails 5-4.," said Jim Coppinger Chairman of the Hamilton County Commissioners.

But as Commissioners dug to see what happened next in this case, they learned it would go to court.

"Then will proceed to trial. If the commission authorizes us to go back with any figure , we certainly will do that," said Hamilton County Attorney Rheubin Taylor.

" I thought if we had to go to court. We would've spent much more money in legal expenditures and the final payout," said Commissioner Fred Skillern of District 1.

After the commissioner reconsidered they agreed to offer Arnold $175,000 in hopes of keeping it out of court

" I'm not spending my family's money. I'm spending everybody's money. This is the cheapest I could've come out. I didn't want to set a precedent and prove a point with the county's public's money," said Skillern.

The resolution passed 7-2. Gary Arnold's attorney says the 175,000 was agreed on by the county and Arnold in mediation. So he says Arnold will accept that money and the case is officially closed.

Arnold's attorney Tim Crutchfield says "He is very pleased that County Commission did the right thing and this decision was a good result for the county."