How Much Can Scottie Scheffler Win From a Lawsuit Against Kentucky State After Bizarre Arrest?

Scottie Scheffler landed in jail after a big misunderstanding! That too just opposite Valhalla. Shocking, right? Well, it was, for the fans and the golfer alike. A fatal car accident killed John Mills, during which the traffic was berserk. However, the field of the PGA Championship was allowed to move forward and reach the course. When Scheffler tried to drive westbound, Officer Bryan Gillis and the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) didn’t allow him.

Scheffler’s attorney confirmed that his client was following orders, but the reports say that even after the police orders, the #1 golfer didn’t stop driving. When Officer Gillis tried to stop him, he was dragged to the ground and had to be hospitalized for injuries. After the altercation, Scheffler was arrested at 7:08 a.m. on a Friday. An hour or so later, he was released and charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding traffic signals. Now Scheffler’s attorney may file a lawsuit for false arrest, as they claim. If he does, how much can Scheffler be compensated with?

What may Scottie Scheffler receive in compensation from the State of Kentucky?

Was Scottie Scheffler wrongfully arrested? Steve Romine, Scheffler’s attorney, told the Golf Channel that Scheffler “didn’t do anything wrong” on the second day of the PGA Championship. In contrast to initial reports, Romine explained that the 27-year-old followed the officer’s orders and “never at any point assaulted any officer with his vehicle.” He also declared that they would “plead not guilty and litigate this matter as needed” during the May 21st hearing about the case at the Jefferson District Court.

In the event of no settlement on that day, the legal team at Scheffler may move forward with a lawsuit against the LMPD and the state of Kentucky. In that case, Scheffler might be entitled to compensation for the time he spent in jail, any physical injuries, and any mental trauma.

But this might all be done if Scheffler’s arrest is proved to be false or unlawful. If the court verdict says the arrest was unlawful, the officer might be terminated, retrained, or suspended. For compensation, Scheffler might receive $1,000 per hour spent behind bars. But depending on the physical injury, it may increase. As in the case of four people being compensated $650,000 for being wrongfully arrested in Louisville in 2010.

But what to take note of is that Kentucky doesn’t have a law that compensates for unlawful arrests unless a lawsuit is filed with a federal court. Depending on these various factors, Scheffler’s compensation might be a few thousand or more. After his first appearance on Tuesday, things may get much clearer about how long or short the case of Scottie Scheffler will be. As explained, for Scheffler to ask for compensation, he would need to prove that the arrest was unlawful. But after Louisville’s mayor’s statement, it might be harder to do that.

Mayor Craig Greenberg says there is no body-cam footage of Scheffler’s arrest

On Saturday morning, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed and notified the Louisville Metro Police that they did not have body-cam footage of Scottie Scheffler’s arrest. Per the department, Officer Bryan Gillis’s body camera was off at that time. Thus, proving everything that transpired on Friday morning and whether the arrest was unlawful remains difficult.

However, per WDRB, the mayor explained that there is footage from a camera situated across the road. The footage of which would be released soon. Although there are certain proofs, Steve Romine extended that there were many eyewitnesses who could say that Scheffler was innocent. With all the proofs and witnesses, Scheffler’s case might become a bit stronger once argued in front of the judge. Whether Scheffler would be compensated or not remains to be seen.