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Feb. 10, 2026

Jury awards $27.35M to man shot by San Bernardino deputy

A federal jury found a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy violated Steffon Barber's constitutional rights by firing six shots as Barber slowly exited his driveway in 2021, leaving him permanently paralyzed. Jurors rejected the deputy's claim he had no alternative, citing forensic evidence and inconsistent testimony.

Jury awards $27.35M to man shot by San Bernardino deputy
Rodney S. Diggs of Ivie McNeill Wyatt Purcell & Diggs

A federal jury unanimously awarded $27.35 million to Steffon Barber after finding that a San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy violated his constitutional rights by shooting him without justification during a 2021 encounter at Barber's residence.

The jury concluded that deputy Christopher Alfred acted unreasonably and negligently when he fired six shots at Barber without warning. The shooting left Barber permanently wheelchair-dependent, facing lifelong physical, psycholo...

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