Florida HB 6517: Relief/Heriberto A. Sanchez-Mayen/City of St. Petersburg

Bill Text

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An act for the relief of Heriberto A. Sanchez-Mayen by 2
the City of St. Petersburg; providing for an 3
appropriation to compensate Mr. Sanchez-Mayen for 4
injuries sustained as a result of the negligence of 5
the City of St. Petersburg; providing a limitation on 6
compensation and the payment of attorney fees; 7
providing an effective date. 8
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WHEREAS, on June 8, 2023, Heriberto A. Sanchez-Mayen, a 10
resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, was found asleep on a piece 11
of cardboard just after 10 a.m. in a daytime-only designated 12
park by a St. Petersburg police officer, and 13
WHEREAS, although Mr. Sanchez-Mayen was lawfully present on 14
the property at this time of day, a St. Petersburg police 15
officer arrested him for trespassing and called the prisoner 16
transport van, and 17
WHEREAS, the transport officer handcuffed Mr. Sanchez-Mayen 18
and attached a metal belly chain, which restricted the use of 19
his arms, and placed him unsecured, without a seatbelt or other 20
stationary tethering, on a metal bench in the back of a metal 21
transport van, and 22
WHEREAS, while en route to the Pinellas County Jail, the 23
transport officer, who had not engaged the van's interior video 24
camera showing Mr. Sanchez-Mayen, stopped short for a red light, 25

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causing Mr. Sanchez-Mayen, who had no ability to brace or 26
protect himself because he was restrained, to be thrown head 27
first from the back of the van into the bulkhead, where he laid 28
motionless. This was ultimately captured on the van's interior 29
video camera, and 30
WHEREAS, instead of immediately seeking medical treatment 31
for Mr. Sanchez-Mayen, the transport officer continued to drive 32
to the jail where, upon arrival, Mr. Sanchez-Mayen was still 33
motionless and unresponsive on the metal floor of the van, and 34
WHEREAS, the transport officer proceeded to remove Mr. 35
Sanchez-Mayen's body from the van by dragging him by his feet, 36
causing his head to strike the rear bumper, the rear door, and 37
the cement floor, and 38
WHEREAS, Mr. Sanchez-Mayen was taken to a local hospital 39
for approximately 12 hours before being transported to Tampa 40
General Hospital, where doctors determined that Mr. Sanchez-41
Mayen had sustained catastrophic injuries, including a closed 42
displaced fracture of the third cervical vertebra, a closed 43
odontoid fracture, dissection of the descending thoracic aorta, 44
and spinal cord compression, which ultimately led to amputation 45
of both of his legs above the knees, rendering him an incomplete 46
quadriplegic, and 47
WHEREAS, as a result of the injuries sustained during 48
transport, Mr. Sanchez-Mayen requires supervised medical care, 49
home health care, and other services and support for the rest of 50

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his life, and 51
WHEREAS, on March 18, 2024, Mr. Sanchez-Mayen brought suit 52
against the City of St. Petersburg and two individual St. 53
Petersburg police officers in the United States District Court 54
for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, under case 55
number 8:24-CV—00690-WFJ-TGW, and 56
WHEREAS, on March 12, 2025, Mr. Sanchez-Mayen and the City 57
of St. Petersburg entered into a settlement agreement for $2.5 58
million, and 59
WHEREAS, in accordance with s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, 60
the City of St. Petersburg paid $200,000 to the trust account of 61
Mr. Sanchez-Mayen's lawyer, and 62
WHEREAS, Mr. Sanchez-Mayen remains liable for both Florida 63
and Pennsylvania Medicaid liens, and 64
WHEREAS, the settlement agreement provides for the entry of 65
a consent judgment for the remaining amount of $2.3 million and 66
cooperation by the City of St. Petersburg in not opposing this 67
claim bill, NOW, THEREFORE, 68
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 70
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Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act 72
are found and declared to be true. 73
Section 2. The City of St. Petersburg is directed to draw 74
a warrant in the sum of $2.3 million payable to Heriberto A. 75

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Sanchez-Mayen as compensation for injuries and damages 76
sustained. 77
Section 3. The amount paid by the City of St. Petersburg 78
pursuant to s. 768.28, Florida Statutes, and the amount awarded 79
under this act are intended to provide