LOS ANGELES (AP) — The city of Los Angeles must pay $11.8 million to a man who was blinded by a projectile fired into a crowd by police officers while he was celebrating the Dodgers 2020 World Series win.
A federal jury ordered the payment Thursday after a trial brought by 27-year-old Isaac Castellanos, who was in college when he was struck in the face by the projectile while peacefully celebrating in downtown LA early Oct. 28, 2020.
Castellanos was permanently blinded in one eye and filed a federal lawsuit in 2022, alleging excessive use of force. According to the complaint, Los Angeles Police Department officers advanced toward the crowd and began firing projectiles, also known as “ less lethal” munitions, without warning. Less lethal munitions can include rubber bullets and bean bags.
At the conclusion of the trial, the jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning a verdict. Castellanos, sitting next to his attorneys, was brought to tears.
“He is incredibly relieved and feels very vindicated,” Castellanos’ attorney, Monique Alarcon, said. “He’s really hopeful ... that this will cause the LAPD to take a hard look at their crowd control practices.”
The LA City Attorney’s office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Castellanos was a senior at California State University, Long Beach when he was struck, and Alarcon said he had a promising future as a professional esports player before he was blinded. Just a few weeks before he was hit, he had won first place in a tournament, winning a $40,000 prize with a teammate.
“He was at a pivotal point in his life ... and this completely derailed him,” Alarcon said.
The LAPD has been the subject of several lawsuits over the use of less lethal munitions for crowd control.
After journalists were hit by projectiles during June protests against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown since the start of the president’s second term, a federal judge blocked LA police from using rubber bullets and other less lethal munitions against reporters.
A federal judge in January also issued an injunction against the LAPD blocking the use of 40 mm launchers, a type of less lethal munition, in any crowd control situation.
In 2021, California restricted the use of less lethal munitions until alternatives to force have been tried to control a crowd. Police cannot aim “indiscriminately” into a crowd or at the head, neck or any other vital organs. They also cannot fire solely for a curfew violation, verbal threats toward officers, or not complying with directions given by law enforcement.
