Los Angeles Ordered to Pay $11.8 Million to Man Blinded by Police Projectile After Dodgers Win

A federal jury has awarded $11.8 million to Isaac Castellanos, who was blinded in one eye by a police-fired projectile during celebrations of the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series victory in October 2020. The verdict, delivered Thursday, follows a lawsuit Castellanos filed alleging excessive force by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) during crowd control efforts in downtown Los Angeles.

On October 28, 2020, Castellanos, then a college senior, was among fans celebrating the Dodgers' championship when LAPD officers advanced on the crowd and began firing so-called less lethal munitions, such as rubber bullets and beanbags, according to court documents. The projectile struck Castellanos in the face, resulting in permanent blindness in one eye.

The jury returned its decision after less than two hours of deliberation. Castellanos, who attended California State University, Long Beach and had recently won a major esports tournament, said through his attorney that the incident had dramatically altered his life trajectory. His legal team expressed hope that the verdict would prompt a reassessment of crowd control tactics by police.

The LAPD has faced several lawsuits in recent years regarding its use of less lethal munitions for managing crowds. Separate federal court rulings have restricted the department's use of such projectiles, specifically in crowd control and when targeting journalists. California law has also tightened regulations, prohibiting indiscriminate firing into crowds or aiming at vital areas, and requiring police to exhaust alternatives to force before deploying these weapons.

The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office has not issued a public response to the jury’s decision. As of now, the payment to Castellanos stands as one of the largest jury awards related to police actions during public gatherings in the city. Additional legal and policy scrutiny of LAPD crowd control measures continues.