FL H6525

City of Lakeland authorized to pay $312,500 to Reginald Jackson for injuries sustained when Lakeland Police Officer Mike Cochran shot him through his windshield on October 18, 2001

Officer Cochran initially stopped Jackson based on an incorrectly typed license tag number, then arrested him for disobeying orders after Jackson drove to a working pay phone when the first one was non-operational

Jackson, who was unarmed and seated next to an 18-month-old child, was struck in the neck by a .45 caliber bullet and will suffer lifelong pain and disability

A Polk County jury awarded Jackson $412,500 in damages, but sovereign immunity limits under s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, restricted collection to $100,000, requiring legislative action to recover the remaining $312,500

Attorney fees for this claim are capped at 25% of the amount awarded under the act