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Onondaga County Sheriff Toby Shelley has decided to drop two lawsuits he filed against the county, which sought reimbursement for legal fees totaling over $116,000. These fees stemmed from legal battles concerning the proposed closure of the Jamesville Correctional Facility and the appointment of two deputy sheriff chiefs to permanent roles. Initially, Shelley sought $49,600 for attorney fees related to the appeal against closing the Jamesville facility, which was ultimately dismissed by the New York State Supreme Court and later upheld by an appellate court. He also sought $66,700 for legal fees after the county refused to comply with his appointments, citing violations of the Onondaga County Administrative Code.
After consulting with Onondaga County Comptroller Marty Masterpole, Shelley opted to cover these legal expenses using his office's budget. According to Syracuse.com, most of the funds, $120,949, will come from the professional services budget line, with an additional $10,778 sourced from revenue generated by inmate phone calls.
The decision to use the sheriff's department budget came after the county declined to pay the legal fees, as reported by Spectrum Local News. Shelley was unaware that his budget could cover such expenses until advised by Masterpole. The lawsuits have now been terminated, and all legal fees have been settled, according to Thomas Newton, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office. The legal matter concerning the appointments of the deputy chiefs remains unresolved.