LA To Pay $11.8 Million To Man Blinded By Police Projectile During Dodgers Celebration
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal jury has ordered the city of Los Angeles to pay $11.8 million to a man who was blinded by a projectile fired by police officers while celebrating the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series win.
The verdict came after a trial brought by Isaac Castellanos, who was struck in the face by the projectile while peacefully celebrating in downtown LA. He was left permanently blinded in one eye and filed a federal lawsuit in 2022, alleging excessive use of force.
The complaint stated that LAPD officers fired projectiles, known as “less lethal” munitions, into the crowd without warning. Less lethal munitions can include rubber bullets and bean bags.
Following a brief deliberation, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Castellanos, who was visibly emotional during the trial.
Castellanos’ attorney, Monique Alarcon, expressed his relief and hope that the verdict would prompt the LAPD to reconsider its crowd control practices.
Castellanos, a college senior at the time of the incident, had a promising future as a professional esports player before being blinded. The LAPD has faced multiple lawsuits regarding the use of less lethal munitions for crowd control.
Several injunctions have been issued against the LAPD regarding the use of less lethal munitions, including restrictions on aiming at vital organs and firing solely for certain violations.
