Jury Awards $11.8 Million to Dodgers Fan Blinded by Police Projectile

A federal jury has awarded $11.8 million to Isaac Castellanos, a Los Angeles Dodgers fan who permanently lost vision in one eye after being struck by a police projectile during celebrations following the team's 2020 World Series win.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours after six days of testimony. The award is subject to appeal, and any settlement would require city approval. Castellanos's attorneys have indicated they may seek to triple the award under a state law.

Incident Details

The incident occurred on October 28, 2020, near Crypto.com Arena. At the time, Castellanos was a 22-year-old Cal State Long Beach student. He stated he was peacefully celebrating, had not broken any laws or posed a threat, and did not hear a dispersal order before officers moved in.

Evidence presented indicated Castellanos was struck by a 37-mm "skip trace" launcher, which fires hard-foam projectiles designed to ricochet off the ground.

LAPD officials stated officers were responding to reports of groups vandalizing and breaking into businesses.

Key Evidence and Policy Violation

Castellanos's attorneys presented evidence that the projectile was fired from approximately 145 feet away, a distance at which the projectile could rise to eye level. LAPD policy states such weapons are to be used at close range.

Castellanos sued the LAPD, alleging excessive force. His attorney, Pedram Esfandiary, stated the verdict should serve as a wake-up call regarding the use of less-lethal weapons and that evidence clearly showed the firing distance violated policy.

Impact and Aftermath

The injury had a profound effect on Castellanos's life. His attorneys stated the vision loss prevented him from pursuing a potential career in esports, noting he had won $20,000 at a gaming competition months prior.

Since 2020, the LAPD has been required to limit the use of some projectile launchers. A federal judge issued an injunction in January against the use of 40-mm launchers. The department has deployed other crowd control weapons in subsequent protests.

A report on the LAPD website stated that during protests in June over immigration policies, officers deployed tear gas and fired nearly 1,400 less-lethal rounds over six days after crowd members threw objects and burned vehicles. Police officials have stated they investigate all uses of force.