Attorney Says Sheriff Undecided on Resignation

MURFREESBORO, TN — Despite being jailed in a federal facility in Kentucky, Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold still has not decided whether or not he'll turn in his badge.

Arnold's attorney, Tom Dundon, told the Daily News Journal that despite being ordered behind bars until his February federal corruption trial connected to the JailCigs scheme, despite calls for his resignation from Rutherford County and state leaders, and despite an ouster suit filed by Rutherford County citizens Thursday, his client has not come to a decision on resignation.

"I’m not aware of any decision by my client to resign," Dundon told the newspaper. "He has not communicated that to me."

Rutherford County Commissioner Pettus Read, the first county leader to call for Arnold's resignation, re-upped that call after the sheriff's bond was revoked by a federal magistrate this week. Joining that call are the county mayor and two state senators. The county commission already urged Arnold to resign via resolution, but a member of the county ethics committee told the DNJ it seems unlikely the sheriff will do so.

"He has no incentive to resign," said Commissioner Robert Peay Jr. "He's sitting there drawing his money, and he’s going to need that to fight this. I’d be surprised if he does (resign). It would be the right thing to do. It would be for our benefit if he were to resign, but then again, he’s innocent until proven guilty. That's what our laws are. He stays in office until convicted."

Image via Rutherford County Sheriff's Department