Paralysed man awarded US$80,000 interim payment over police shooting in Bahamas

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – A man in the Bahamas left paralysed after being shot by a police officer in 2016 has been awarded a US$80,000 interim payment from the state to help cover urgent medical treatment.

Justice Camille Darville Gomez ordered the Commissioner of Police and the Attorney General to make the payment to Thorne Clarke, who has developed a severe pressure ulcer requiring surgery.

Clarke was 22 when he was shot in the back, leaving him paralysed from the sternum down.

He sued the Commissioner of Police and Attorney General in 2018, and a default judgment was entered against them the following year.

The final amount of compensation remains unresolved.

Clarke is seeking $2.064 million in damages, while the defendants have valued his claim at $539,250.03.

An assessment of damages was held before Assistant Registrar Jonathan Deal in May 2025, but a ruling remains outstanding.

While awaiting the decision, Clarke developed a stage-four pressure ulcer on his right buttock that later became infected, resulting in a nine-day hospital stay.

His doctor has recommended surgery to close the wound and reduce the risk of further infection. The procedure and aftercare are estimated at $57,488.32, while Clarke also owes more than $11,000 for previous treatment.

Clarke initially sought an interim payment of $200,000 before reducing the request to $100,000.

The defendants opposed the application, arguing that an interim award while the damages ruling was pending could result in an overpayment.

Justice Darville Gomez ruled that the court retained the power to grant an interim payment and said Clarke’s medical condition demonstrated an urgent need for financial assistance.

The judge used the defendants’ $539,250.03 damages assessment as a conservative baseline and determined that $80,000 — about 14 per cent of that amount — provided meaningful assistance while limiting the risk of overpayment.

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