Settlement Reached For Chicago Man Denied HIV Drugs In Jail

A settlement has been reached between the Bureau County Sheriff's Office and a Chicago man who claimed in a lawsuit he was prevented from taking his HIV medication while being held in jail.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois announced the settlement Wednesday.

The agreement was filed in federal court in Peoria. The sheriff's office agreed to conduct mandatory training for jail staff and to pay $20,000 to Arick Buckles of Chicago.

Buckles filed a lawsuit last year claiming he was denied his prescribed medication for a week at the jail in Princeton.

Skipping HIV medications can raise a patient's virus count, making the patient more contagious and raising the risk of developing drug resistance.

Bureau County Sheriff John Thompson declined to comment on the settlement.