Shot mistakenly by cop, Buckley may not have to pay hospital bill
On April twenty-eighth, 2010, Stephen Buckley was shot twice to the head by the police; he was left paralyzed to the left side of his body and unfit for work. In a public statement, then Commissioner of Police, Crispin Jeffries promised that assistance from the department would be provided to Buckley. It’s been three years since the shooting and when we last spoke to Buckley three weeks ago, he was facing possible court action because he has been unable to pay an outstanding bill to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The bill for six thousand one hundred and sixty-five dollars was for the medical treatment he received. While Buckley survived the shooting, he has been unable to care for his wife and children and has found it impossible to pay the K.H.M.H. bill. But tonight there is some relief in sight as Buckley says that when he visited the hospital this week, he was asked to sign a document and was told by officials that everything will be worked out. Buckley says that is good news but needs confirmation.
Stephen Buckley, Shot to the Head by Police
“Well so far, nobody noh come tell me nothing about it. so I really noh di worry about it cause dah di police man dehn hurt me. So I noh really di worry about that none at all.”
Duane Moody
“I know the deadline was sometime last week.”
Stephen Buckley
“That’s true, but when I went to them gone check them, they give me wah paper; dehn give me the paper fi di accident weh I gone through. That’s the paper that I got from them.”
Duane Moody
“What are they saying? Are they demanding the money still?”
Stephen Buckley
Stephen Buckley
“Well the lady dehn neva tell me if dehn want the money or anything. Dehn just say that dehn wah deal with the police man dehn.”
Duane Moody
“So is this good news; that you won’t have to pay that amount of money?”
Stephen Buckley
“Well right now I feel happy about it because right now I mi di worry about how I wah pay that. so right now I kinda feel happy now.”
Duane Moody
“So they have confirmed that you won’t have to pay it and they will deal with the police to pay that six thousand one hundred and sixty-five dollars?”
Stephen Buckley
“Well so far they neva tell me really if dehn gwen dah the police man fi mek dehn pay for it, but the lady said that I alright; ah straight. So that dah mi problem right now still yet. So I really noh still too happy as yet until when dehn confirm and say Mister Buckley we done pay off the bill.”
Duane Moody
“So the hospital is saying you don’t have to worry about anything, but you are not sure if it is because the police are going to pay the outstanding balance?”
Stephen Buckley
“Well so far, I noh really di worry about it because as I explain to yo, dah noh me get hurt; dah di police man dehn hurt me. And right now I need help. So right now I really need help because I noh know how my children dehn gwen through school.”
Duane Moody
“If they see that there is no reason to pay anything for you, what are you going to do?”
Stephen Buckley
“Well I don’t know what I wah could do. I wah just have to continue sell the bottle and try see if I can hustle to pay off the bill.
Duane Moody
“But it is not enough Steven. You are making how much for the day? Twenty-five dollars through hustling and the bill is six thousand change.
Stephen Buckley
“Yeah, well to now I noh know how I wah pay that, but I wah have to find a way to pay it because I can’t work again to pay it off. If dehn want send me dah jail, better dehn send me dah jail because then I can’t pay for a bill weh I can’t pay for. I can’t even work. Right now I di worry about how I wah feed mi pickney dehn right now.”
