Dontrell Stephens was paralyzed after a Palm Beach Sheriff's Office deputy shot him four times in September 2013. Now, a proposed bill on the desk of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will provide Stephens around $16.5 million less than a jury awarded him in February 2016 due to the application of sovereign immunity.

Stephens' attorney, John "Jack" Scarola, a partner at Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, blamed an antiquated remnant of British common law, sovereign immunity, for the reduction in the amount of funds Stephens can recover.

Scarola pointed to other states that have eliminated sovereign immunity because governmental entities can now insure against losses, such as in his client's case.