THE Supreme Court last Friday awarded a private citizen close to $3 million in damages for injuries he suffered after being shot by the police following a high-speed chase and an alleged shoot-out five years ago in the parish of St Catherine.

The citizen, Jeffery Patterson, 37, of Bellas Gate, St Catherine was awarded $2,200,000 for general damages, pain and suffering and lost of amenities; $400,000 for malicious prosecution; and $200,000 in aggravated damages, with interest to be added at six per cent per annum from June 23, 2006 to September 21, 2007.

Justice Roy Jones, who handed down the judgement, awarded Patterson special damages of $130,820, plus interest at the rate of six per cent per annum from August 20, 2002 to June 22, 2006, and three per cent per annum from June 23, 2003 to September 21, 2007.

Costs agreed in the sum of $130,000 went to the defendants.

According to papers filed with the court on August 20, 2002, Patterson and other men were driving in a car which sped pass the police who had signalled the vehicle to stop at the intersection of Darlington Drive and the Colbeck main road in Old Harbour.

Two policemen - Constable Lloyd Knight and Corporal Cleveland Wilson - boarded the police's service vehicle and gave chase, which ended 10 miles away when the vehicle in which Patterson was travelling crashed along the Bellas Gate main road.

According to the police, shots were fired at the two men who ran. The fire, officers said, was returned and Patterson was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the lower abdomen.

Patterson was taken to the Spanish Town Hospital where he spent three days and had to undergo several operations to correct the internal damage. He also suffered nerve, bladder and other damage and had to undergo several other surgeries.

He was subsequently charged with illegal possession of firearm, and shooting with intent. The Crown, however, dropped the case against Patterson several months later.
Patterson then filed a suit against the police and state for malicious prosecution and for injuries sustained.

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