Louisiana authorities have agreed to pay $9 million to Clifton “Scotty” Dilley, who was left partially paralyzed after a state trooper shot him during a traffic stop in Baton Rouge in 2018. Dilley, only 19 at the time, was struck in the back, and the trooper initially claimed the injury was from a Taser. The large settlement, finalized recently, resolves a federal lawsuit filed by Dilley and is one of the biggest police brutality payouts in Louisiana.
The shooting happened when Trooper Kasha Domingue pulled over a vehicle in Baton Rouge. Dilley was a passenger in the car and says he was never told to stop before the trooper fired. After being hit, he lost feeling below his waist and was told by Domingue that the numbness was just a “Taser aftereffect,” a claim proven false as a bullet had pierced his spine. Surveillance footage contradicted the trooper’s claims that Dilley posed a threat; instead, it showed the young man running away unarmed.
Domingue was fired by the state police after investigators found she had no valid reason to shoot and had failed to turn on her body camera. Her story changed multiple times, at one point saying she confused her gun with a Taser or that she acted out of fear for her life. She also falsely reported the incident as a Taser discharge, delaying medical help.
Legal actions against Domingue continued for years. She pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in 2022, a misdemeanor that resulted in no jail time but barred her from law enforcement work. Her conviction was later expunged. Prosecutors also charged her with aggravated second-degree battery and illegal weapon use.
Questions have been raised throughout the case about whether Domingue should have ever become a state trooper. Records reveal she struggled in training, failing tests and firing range evaluations, yet was allowed to graduate after more training. Experts and internal reports noted doubts about her physical and mental preparedness.
This case was mentioned in a 2024 Justice Department report that highlighted widespread excessive force problems within Louisiana State Police. The report criticized delays in investigating officers while criminal probes are active, pointing to Domingue’s continued service more than two years after the shooting as an example.
The $9 million settlement surpasses previous large payouts related to police violence in the state, including a $4.5 million agreement in 2021 with the Baton Rouge city government for the family of Alton Sterling, who was fatally shot by police in a widely publicized case.
Governor Jeff Landry has criticized the Justice Department report, calling it unfair to the state police. The federal inquiry had started amid backlash over the death of Ronald Greene, who died after a brutal encounter with police. However, in May 2024, the Justice Department withdrew its findings, announcing an end to what it called a “failed experiment” involving oversight of local law enforcement by federal authorities.
For Dilley, the impact has been life-changing. Confined to a wheelchair, he hopes the settlement will bring changes that prevent others from suffering similar fates. With former U.S. attorney Don Cazayoux representing him, his case puts a spotlight on accountability and the challenges within Louisiana law enforcement.