Commissioners pay large legal bill

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County commissioners approved paying legal fees of $99,500 Thursday to the law firm that sued the county in 2003 for having an overcrowded and unsafe jail.

Prosecutor Paul Gains explained that the fees were for work the firm Armbruster and Kelly of Akron did while working out a consent decree that detailed what would be needed to get the jail fully reopened and in compliance with the U.S. Constitution.

That effort was completed May 17 when three federal judges signed a court entry that established standards for jail staffing, improvement of jail conditions, the reopening of jail facilities by Aug. 1, an allotment of jail beds for Youngstown city prisoners and an emergency prisoner-release policy to prevent future overcrowding.

For the full story, see Friday's Vindicator and Vindy.com