Deputies arrest paralyzed man who won $23 million verdict

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – A man who won a $23 million lawsuit against a Florida sheriff’s office this year after being shot by a deputy and paralyzed has been arrested on charges that he sold heroin, marijuana and cocaine near a preschool.

The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 23-year-old Dontrell Stephens on its Facebook page Thursday. The sheriff’s office did not provide immediate details.

Stephens won his federal lawsuit against the sheriff’s office in February but has not received any money as the verdict remains under appeal. Also, under Florida law, any lawsuit payout of more than $200,000 by a local government agency must first be approved by the Legislature.

His attorney, Jack Scarola, said the sheriff’s office’s refusal to pay has driven Stephens to the “brink of desperation.”

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