A federal jury Monday awarded $27.3 million to a Victorville man following a nonfatal shooting by a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy.
This award stands as the largest ever in cases of similar nature from the U.S. District Court in Riverside, as reported by Barber’s legal team.
The jury’s decision took into account various damages: $7.25 million was designated for past pain and suffering, $18.25 million for anticipated future afflictions, and $1.85 million to cover future economic hardships. Jurors returned a unanimous verdict against Deputy Christopher Alfred for employing excessive and unnecessary force during the altercation with Steffon Barber, 39.
Barber’s attorney Dale K. Galipo expressed satisfaction with the jury’s decision stating, “I’m very pleased with the jury’s verdict and thankful to the jurors for giving justice and fair compensation for Mr. Barber.”
The shooting occurred April 27, 2021, around 11 p.m., when Alfred responded to a disturbance report at a residence in the 12000 block of White Avenue in Adelanto, authorities said. Neighbors indicated that Barber was behaving erratically, hitting cars and demanding rides from locals.
Tension escalated when Alfred, seeing Barber reach into his 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer, assumed a weapon was involved due to Barber’s provocative reaction and decided to fire, shooting six times — one bullet striking Barber’s head leading to severe and permanent brain damage, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Despite the justification provided by the DA’s Office — which viewed Alfred’s actions as a legitimate act of self-defense based upon Barber’s previous acceleration towards him — the civil jury differed, concluding Alfred acted negligently. Testimonies revealed Barber was exiting the driveway slowly, providing Alfred ample opportunity to avoid the impending danger, thus rendering the shooting unnecessary.
While authorities maintained Alfred’s defensive stance, Barber was criminally convicted of assault with a deadly motor vehicle and given a 13-year prison term. That did not sway the civil court’s decision, which acknowledged Alfred’s capacity to reposition himself safely as the threat level was diminished.
Rodney S. Diggs, another lawyer on Barber’s team, asserted, “This verdict is a powerful affirmation that constitutional rights do not stop at the end of a driveway. The jury carefully weighed the evidence and held law enforcement accountable for a shooting that never should have happened. While no amount of money can restore Mr. Barber’s health or mobility, today’s verdict provides him with dignity, security and a measure of justice.”
Currently, Barber suffers from a significant loss of movement on his left side, impairing his ability to walk.
In a statement Tuesday to the Riverside Press-Enterprise, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said the case “reflects the complex and often difficult circumstances deputies face when responding to rapidly evolving incidents.”
“The District Attorney previously determined the shooting was legally justified and a criminal jury convicted the plaintiff in this case of assault with a deadly weapon leading to imposition of a state prison sentence of more than a decade. However, the civil jury reached a different conclusion under a separate legal standard,” the statement said.
“The Sheriff’s Department remains committed to continuous evaluations of training and tactics to uphold public trust and constitutional standards and we remain dedicated to transparency, accountability, and protecting the rights of the communities we serve.”
