Jury clears Carrollton police chief, officer of charges

CARROLLTON, Ky. (AP) – Two police officers suspended from the force in the midst of misconduct allegations have been cleared of all wrongdoing.

Media outlets report that on Tuesday, a Carroll County jury acquitted Carrollton Chief of Police Mike Willhoite and officer Ron Dickow of all charges.

Willhoite and Dickow had been accused of intentionally defying a judge’s order to take an inmate to Eastern State Hospital last April, instead putting him on a bus to Florida.

The day before the alleged events, a judge rejected a plea deal that would have sent the inmate to Florida. The inmate was instead ordered to undergo a mental evaluation.

The two admitted to putting the inmate on the bus, but said it was because of a misunderstanding – Willhoite said he didn’t realize the plea deal had failed, and Dickow said he was just following orders from Willhoite.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.