( CNN ) -- A New Mexico man held in solitary confinement in a county prison for nearly two years without ever being prosecuted has won a $ 22 million jury award for violation of his constitutional rights , officials said . It is one of the largest federal civil rights settlements in history involving an inmate . Stephen Slevin alleged he was essentially forgotten while in custody . `` This has never been about the money , '' Slevin said in a halting voice outside the federal courthouse in Santa Fe , just after the jury 's decision . He suffers from post-traumatic stress from what he called physical and mental mistreatment by corrections officials in Dona Ana County , in the southern part of the state . `` We made a statement about what happened to me , '' he said of the verdict . Slevin , 58 , was arrested in August 2005 and charged with driving while intoxicated and receiving a stolen vehicle near Las Cruces . His lawyers said the prison segregated him because he had a lifelong history of mental illness . Albuquerque civil rights attorney Matthew Coyte said his client then began to deteriorate while in isolation . `` They threw him in solitary and then ignored him , '' said Coyte . `` He disappeared into delirium , and his mental illness was made worse by being isolated from human contact and a lack of medical care . '' Slevin 's lawsuit alleged he became malnourished , lost significant weight , developed bedsores , fungus and dental problems and was not aware of his situation or surroundings . He was transferred to another state facility for two weeks , where he was given a psychiatric evaluation and then sent back to the Dona Ana County Detention Center , where he was again placed in solitary confinement . Coyte said Slevin did receive a brief competency hearing a year into his imprisonment , but the case against the man never proceeded . After 22 months as a pre-trial detainee , Slevin was released and the charges dismissed . He then filed suit , claiming his rights of due process were violated since he was not given a hearing before being placed in solitary confinement . Photos taken before and after his confinement show dramatic appearance changes . The plaintiff said things were so bad he was forced to pull his own tooth while in custody , and that his pleas for help were dismissed . In pre-trial motions , the county denied `` that there was lack of medical care . For most of the other allegations , officials either denied them or said they were `` without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief '' of the veracity of the claims . The defendants also said Slevin waited too late to file his suit , and that as government employees , county officials deserved immunity from liability , believing they acted in good faith as to Slevin 's treatment in custody . The county had refused any public comment before the trial . There was no immediate reaction to the verdict from county officials . Slevin 's legal team said the county in recent days had offered to settle the case for $ 2 million , just before the jury went to consider a verdict and award . Coyte told CNN he hopes Slevin 's court victory will send a message throughout the state for more humane treatment of inmates , especially those with mental or physical issues . Slevin continues to have serious medical issues , and is fighting lung cancer , his lawyer said . The case is Slevin v. Board of County Commissioners of Dona Ana County ( 1:08-cv-01185 ) .
Stephen Slevin alleges he was held in solitary confinement for nearly two years . The charges against him were eventually dismissed and he was never prosecuted . Score: 6 `` We made a statement about what happened to me , '' Slevin says .