Jury awards $11.8 million to celebrating Dodgers fan blinded by LAPD

Key Points:

• A federal jury awarded $11.8 million to Isaac Castellanos, a Dodgers fan blinded in one eye by an LAPD projectile during a 2020 World Series celebration in downtown Los Angeles, ending a nearly six-year legal battle.
• Castellanos sued the LAPD for excessive force after officers fired less-lethal weapons into a crowd, hitting him in the face despite him being peaceful and not posing a threat.
• Evidence showed Castellanos was struck by a 37-mm “skip trace” launcher fired from about 145 feet away, violating LAPD policy that requires close-range use to target lower bodies, causing the projectile to hit his eye.
• Castellanos’ attorneys argue the injury ended his promising esports career, and they are seeking to triple the damages under state law; the verdict is likely to be appealed and requires city approval for settlement.
• The LAPD has since limited some projectile launchers and faces ongoing scrutiny over crowd control tactics, with officials promising investigations amid continued protests and use of less-lethal weapons.