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Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office disputes settlement agreement with Dontrell Stephens

Posted at 9:10 PM, Oct 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-23 14:57:11-04

UPDATE: The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said it has not entered into a settlement agreement of any kind with Dontrell Stephens and has not agreed to pay more than the statutorily required $200,000.  

The sheriff's office also said it will oppose any attempt by Stephens to force PBSO to pay any more than the $200,000 statutory cap by legislative action.  

EARLIER:

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has come to an agreement with a man who was shot in the back by a sheriff's deputy in 2012. However, the state Legislature will still have to approve it.  

On Monday, it was decided that Dontrell Stephens may receive $25 million from the agency. Stephens was shot in the back by Deputy Adams Lin. 

In September, a federal appeals court threw out a $22.4 million verdict against the sheriff’s office in the case.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has already paid Stephens $200,000 but won't give him the rest until the Florida Legislature passes a claims bill. 

That could take several years to happen, and Stephens still may not get any more money unless the state signs off.