Jury awards man $50 million after he says officers beat him, locked him in closet

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio - Arnold Black of East Cleveland still relives being locked in a closet.

“I remember. I remember being in that room more than anything because I was afraid,” Black told WJW.

Seven years ago, Black claims East Cleveland police locked him in a storage closet for four days with no toilet and nothing to eat or drink but a carton of milk.

“I didn’t know if I was ever going to come out of the room. I didn’t know anything. I banged on the door yet the whole police station ignored me,” said Black.

But a jury heard Black’s cries for justice when they awarded him $50 million on Friday after he sued the city of East Cleveland for police misconduct.

“The courage it takes to go to court, testify, be cross-examined by the city’s lawyers, be taunted, picked at, it takes a special person to endure all that,” said Bobby Dicello, attorney.

Black says he was wrongly arrested and beaten so severely that he suffered concussions and required brain surgery.

“They literally just kidnapped me off the streets. They never booked me; they put me in a closet until the county came and got me,” said Black.

It’s been a seven-year journey with setbacks.

Back in 2016, a jury awarded him $22 million; however, that award was overturned by an appeals court.

“It was never about the money. I never knew I would get rewarded anything like this, period. I just want the world to know what they are doing to me and other people. I would hate to see someone go through what I went through,” said Black.

The city of East Cleveland has already filed a motion requesting a new trial.