In 2014, Claude Motley and his family were visiting their former hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when 15-year-old Nathan King attempted to carjack his rented Dodge Charger. In the process, Nathan shot Claude in the face. That moment is the axis on which Claude’s world turned, derailing him from his own legal career only to throw him in the middle of the criminal justice system as a victim, and the key to his shooter’s fate. When Claude Got Shot chronicles five years in Claude’s physical and mental recovery journey. Persisting through multiple surgeries, catastrophic health care bills, and the lingering emotional aftermath of that traumatic night, Claude finds himself torn between punishment for Nathan and the injustice of mass incarceration for Black men and boys. For Claude, the path to recovery ultimately leads to forgiveness. But that path proves to be a fraught one, paved with all the complexities that race, violence, justice, and healthcare can possibly present.

Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion and audience Q&A.

  • Moderated by Santana Coleman, co-producer
  • Panelists: Claude Motley & Kim Motley, film subjects

When Claude Got Shot can be viewed on Independent Lens on GPB on Monday, May 9 at 11pm.