Mercy Medical Center, Inc. v. Douglas County

This is an action by a hospital to recover from the county part of the cost of hospitalization of a prisoner of the sheriff. The hospital appeals from a judgment for the county.

The facts are agreed. Charles E. Fortney was shot by a Douglas County deputy sheriff while he was in the act of burgling a school building. He was taken to Mercy Hospital with injuries to the spinal cord and was in the hospital from May 28, 1975, to July 29, 1975. On his admission to the hospital, he was in the custody of the sheriff. The defendant admits that he remained in custody until June 20, 1975 and it has paid…