Hamilton County to not cover legal fees for Daniel Wilkey

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- An ex-Hamilton County Deputy will not get his legal bill covered by the county.

Daniel Wilkey had been accused of misconduct in several traffic stops while in uniform.

However, he had been exonerated of 44 charges related to these stops, and was found not liable last year of misconduct in the 2019 traffic stop of James Mitchell.

The county did agree to a $100,000 settlement with the family of Shandle Riley, whom Wilkey was accused of baptising during a traffic stop.

Wilkey’s attorney, Jim Exum, asked the county attorney’s office to cover his legal fees under the Hamilton County Employee’s Liability Plan, which amounts to several hundred thousand dollars.

However, the county denied this request, leading Exum to question the county’s loyalty to its deputies.

Exum said, “When they have to deal with the public in their official job capacities, which is very dangerous, they expect county government to have their backs, and they expect county government when they are sued to have their backs, and in this particular case, the county attorney’s office had really no rhyme or reason for why they decided not to have Deputy Wilkey’s back, even after he was exonerated.”

The Hamilton County Commission voted unanimously to deny covering these legal fees for Wilkey.

Exum says he plans to appeal.