The hidden costs for victims of innocent crime

Mobile, Ala. (Wala) – If innocent people become victims of violent crimes, the effects can be devastating. FOX10 examines the high and often hidden costs to which they are exposed.

It happened several times in mobile, including Cody Goff, which was shot in a bar in the city center in October. He was not the intended goal.

“It changed the trajectory of my whole life,” said Cody Goff, a victim of an innocent crime.

Since that night, Cody's doctor bills have increased to more than 100,000 US dollars, and this number continues to increase.

Fox10 discovered a state compensation fund that was supposed to help innocent victims of crime such as Cody.

“We know that these victims suffer. We know that they have immediate needs, and we want to do these things as soon as possible and eliminate these needs for you,” Everette Johnson, Executive Director of Alabama Crime's compensation commission.

Fox10 spoke to Cody about his plans before he was shot.

The 26 -year -old has worked continuously for a year and a half to buy a house. It saves around $ 17,000.

“It would have meant a lot. Life and I always say, I don't think I deserve it, but I'm okay that it happened to me because I have the feeling that I treated situations differently than most others,” said Cody.

The night that Cody was shot

October 20, 2024, Codys life changed.

He had the night free of work. He joined friends and his brother in the Hayleys bar in the city center of Mobile.

“No concerns because it is a Sunday evening. It's cold and I'm going back to a place where it should be safe,” said Cody.

The mobile police arrested Michael Sullivan.

They say he tried to shoot a man that he believed that he had an affair with his alienated woman. The investigators say when he saw her together at the bar, he was excited and fired.

The police say Sullivan missed it. Instead, the ball hit Cody.

“It went into my stomach and landed next to my spine. The right leg turned out immediately because it hit a big vein,” said Cody.

Cody was taken to the hospital where he had two operations. It was placed on a ventilator and needed a feeding pipe.

“I didn't die that day, so you have to do something,” said Cody.

Today he can run with the help of a stick, but he still has painful memories of that night.

“I still have the ball. It sits right next to my spine. It will be there,” said Cody.

He also held his hospital bags with the clothes he wore when he was shot.

“It is a memory that it could have been worse,” said Cody.

Cody still fights daily pain to prevent him from working. He fights emotionally and financially.

A hospital bill alone was more than 60,000 US dollars. Cody had no insurance at the time.

His family collected $ 21,000 over Gofundme, but that hardly scratched the surface.

Help innocent victims of crime

The Mobile County's prosecutor's prosecutor referred Cody to Alabama Crime's compensation commission.

He applied for and received a confirmation letter in November. The maximum payment is $ 15,000.

“I'm in the floating. I don't know what to do. I eat savings again. I have to make decisions. I go out of money,” said Cody.

Fox10 went to Montgomery to find out what can be done to accelerate the compensation process of crime of victims and increase the amount of help someone can get.

Everette Johnson from the compensation commission said that he had worked to change a perception problem.

“That they could apply, but they would not be paid,” said Johnson.

The compensation fund contains money from court penalties and fees, a federal grant and the state legislator.

The money helps to cover medical expenses, advice and lost wages, but the $ 15,000 upper limit is often too short.

“Do you think that's enough?” Asked Cameron Taylor with Fox10.

“No. It is not enough. I think there is no dollar amount that you can help for a victim or the family of a victim to bring your life back completely,” replied Johnson.

Qualify:

• You have to be an innocent victim
• Provide your identity as a resident of Alabama
• Report the crime within 72 hours after the incident
• Submit a claim within one year after the conclusion

All things that Cody says he did it.

“Do you find it acceptable for someone to just wait for months?” Asked Taylor.

“Absolutely not and we are working on finding more efficient ways to process these claims,” ​​said Johnson.

Johnson says his goal is to turn a claim in 90 days or less. He said that FOX10 delays or rejections often come from missing documentation or lose contact with applicants.

Johnson says that she now achieves an average of 120 applications per month – from around 70 to 100.

From October 2023 to September 2024, the Commission edited 3,427 claims and, according to the recent annual report of the Commission, paid $ 3,365,843.

Mobile County was third in demands that were submitted behind Montgomery and Jefferson Counties.

“I think that says that within these three counties we are faced with an unfortunate problem with violence,” said Johnson.

Johnson says that he supports the restoration of the previous payout limit of 20,000 US dollars that existed before 2020. He said Fox10 that the payments were reduced to help more victims.

All changes would have to come from the state legislator. Fox10 has turned to two state legislators several times that represented Cody, Adline Clark and Vivian figures.

They were either not available for an interview or did not respond to our questions.

As for Cody, he hopes to enjoy life again, what he loves and captures moments.

“If I had a goal, I would like to go to the city center and take photos,” said Cody.

Received results

According to questions from FOX10, Cody said that he received a letter by post this week, in which his application was approved and almost $ 1,400 of his doctor bills had been paid.

Cody hopes that there will be more on the way because this amount is less than 10% of the $ 15,000 upper limit.

As for the person who is accused of shoting Cody, Michael Sullivan is still in prison, and the case is still pending.

Fox10 turned to his lawyers, but they didn't answer.

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