A California federal jury has awarded $11.8 million to a Los Angeles Dodgers fan who was shot with a police projectile, which permanently damaged his vision,
during a downtown celebration of the baseball team's World Series victory in 2020.
Following a weeklong trial, the jury found Thursday that Isaac Castellanos proved "it is more likely than not" that Los Angeles police officers Cody MacArthur and Jesse Pineda "used excessive or unreasonable force" and caused the traumatic injury to Castellanos' eye, according to the redacted verdict form.
The jurors also found the officers were more likely than not negligent and that they had intended to deprive Castellanos, or acted with reckless disregard for, his "enjoyment of the interests protected by the right to be free from excessive force, the verdict states.
The jury assigned 50% liability to each officer, and awarded Castellanos $135,749 for future medical care and nearly $3.7 million for loss of earning capacity damages, according to the verdict. For Castellanos' "past pain and suffering, emotional distress, disability, disfigurement and loss of enjoyment of life experienced," the jury awarded $1 million, and for such future damages they awarded $7 million.
All in all, the jury awarded Castellanos $11,812,180 in compensatory damages. Castellanos' attorney, Pedram Esfandiary of Wisner Baum, applauded the verdict in a statement to Law360 on Friday.
"The jury heard the evidence, engaged in thoughtful deliberation and returned a verdict recognizing the severe harm caused by the officers' conduct," Esfandiary said. "We hope that this will send a clear message to the city and LAPD that Angelenos will not tolerate abuse of police power or the improper use of force."
"Mr. Castellanos has waited a long term for justice to be served," he said. "We are honored to have represented him in this fight."
Counsel for the city and the officers did not return a request for comment Friday.
The verdict comes nearly six years after the incident occurred. Castellanos had gathered with friends and hundreds of other Dodgers fans near what was once called the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles for an impromptu celebration of the baseball team's World Series win in October 2020.
Around 1 a.m. on Oct. 28, 2020, Castellanos — who was a 22-year-old college student at the time — said he was standing with his friends in the midst of a peaceful celebration when he suddenly saw Los Angeles Police Department officers approach the crowd. He heard weapons being fired and hundreds of people screaming as they ran away from the police, his operative complaint states.
While trying to account for his friends so they could leave the area, Castellanos was struck in his right eye by a "'less lethal' munition," or LLM, fired by an officer who was about 60 to 90 feet away from him, according to the complaint.
Castellanos alleged MacArthur and Pineda both fired less lethal munitions toward Castellano and that it was one of those projectiles that injured him.
"At no time did plaintiff present a threat of danger, violence or self-harm," Castellanos said in the complaint. "And at no time did plaintiff hear the LAPD issue an order to disperse or leave the area."
Castellanos' father took him to the emergency room, where Castellanos was treated for a "traumatic injury to his eye with central loss of vision and persistent mydriasis (dilated pupils)," according to the suit. After numerous follow-up visits to specialists, Castellanos in January 2021 was informed that his vision loss and persistent mydriasis were permanent "due to the trauma from being struck the eye with an LLM," the suit states.
Castellanos, who at the time was in his final year of college at California State University, Long Beach, was a successful esport athlete and streamer who had just won a prominent gaming tournament, according to the complaint.
In addition to his vision loss, Castellanos continues to experience poor depth perception that interferes with his everyday life, including studying, working and athletic activities, the suit states. He also now suffers from anxiety and depression, which have interfered with his education, employment and relationships, according to the suit.
Castellanos is represented by Pedram Esfandiary, Timothy A. Loranger and Monique Alarcon of Wisner Baum.
The city of Los Angeles and the police officers are represented by Michael D. Williamson and Muna Busailah of Stone Busailah LLP.
The case is Isaac Castellanos v. City of Los Angeles et al., case number 2:22-cv-01165, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
