Federal Jury Awards $11.8M to Dodgers Fan Blinded by LAPD
Dodgers fan LAPD lawsuit verdict
A federal jury in Los Angeles has awarded eleven point eight million dollars in damages to a Dodgers fan who was permanently blinded during a World Series celebration. The victim, Isaac Castellanos, was twenty-two years old when he was struck in the right eye by a police projectile in October 2020.
Now twenty-seven, Castellanos filed a civil rights lawsuit alleging that the Los Angeles Police Department fired less-lethal rounds into a peaceful crowd without warning. The trial began earlier this month and concluded on Thursday when the jury found two officers liable for both negligence and the use of excessive force. You can read the full breakdown of the federal jury’s decision through our verified judicial report archive.
The incident took place near what is currently known as Crypto.com Arena as hundreds of fans gathered to celebrate the team’s first championship in decades. Castellanos was a student at California State University, Long Beach, and a competitive gamer before his injury occurred. Witnesses at the trial testified that the crowd was celebrating peacefully when officers began advancing and deploying kinetic impact rounds.
Castellanos was struck directly in the eye as he attempted to leave the area following the police advancement. Medical experts confirmed that the impact caused a ruptured globe which resulted in total and permanent vision loss. The significant financial award is intended to cover his extensive medical expenses and the loss of his career as a professional gamer. For further details on the circumstances of the 2020 World Series incident, please visit our historical case files.
Legal representatives for Castellanos emphasized that the case was centered on holding the department accountable for dangerous crowd control practices. Attorney Pedram Esfandiary stated that his client suffered a catastrophic injury while participating in a historic sports moment for the city. The LAPD has faced several similar lawsuits regarding its response to public gatherings and demonstrations during the 2020 calendar year.
This specific verdict highlights ongoing concerns about the use of less-lethal weapons in dense civilian crowds. The city has not yet indicated whether it intends to appeal the multimillion-dollar award or seek a reduction in damages. This case remains one of the most prominent successful civil rights claims against the department in recent history. Additional information regarding the impact of the lawsuit on LAPD policy is available through our dedicated municipal affairs section.
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