Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP partners Nicholas DiCello and Jeremy Tor have secured a $6.35 million settlement on behalf of Jeffrey Fry, resolving a federal civil rights lawsuit arising from a 2023 incident at the Lorain County Jail that left Fry with a permanent spinal cord injury.
“Mr. Fry remained steadfast in seeking justice despite the significant hardships he faced over the past three years, and we were honored to stand alongside him,” Nick said. “This resolution affirms that our civil justice system can provide meaningful access to justice for every individual and underscores the importance of holding public officials accountable when they violate constitutional rights.”
Changes at the Jail
Since the lawsuit was filed, Lorain County has seen changes in jail leadership, including the appointment of a new sheriff and the creation of an inspector general position responsible for independently investigating use-of-force incidents and other concerns within the jail.
The lawsuit stemmed from a 2023 incident at the county jail, when a corrections officer slammed Fry’s head into a wall and concrete floor while his hands were handcuffed behind his back, knocking him unconscious and leaving him with catastrophic injuries. After the incident, jail staff failed to provide appropriate medical care despite clear signs of a serious head, neck, and spinal cord injury.
After the incident, the officer failed to adequately report it, providing false claims that Fry attempted to escape and then fell down. In his report, the officer wrote that Fry fell due to this “inebriated state” and was “guided” to the floor. A sheriff’s office investigation later determined that the officer used inappropriate and excessive force and submitted inaccurate incident and use-of-force reports.
The Case
Fry filed a civil rights lawsuit in January 2024 and continued to pursue the case through investigations, criminal proceedings, and extended federal litigation before a settlement was reached this year. The settlement resolves claims against Lorain County, the City of Elyria, and other defendants. A portion of the settlement involving a private defendant remains confidential.
“The folks in these jails have constitutional rights that need to be protected,” Jeremy said. “Throughout the lawsuit, we fought alongside Fry in our shared commitment to seeking justice, accountability, and systemic reform.”
