Protester Awarded $3.75 Million After Being Shot by LAPD During 2020 Demonstrations
In a significant development this week, a jury decided to grant $3.75 million in damages to a protester who was shot twice with hard-foam projectiles by the Los Angeles police during the demonstrations in 2020.
Jurors made their decision on Wednesday, concluding that the Los Angeles Police Department exhibited negligence when its officers discharged the so-called less-lethal devices at Asim Jamal Shakir Jr., as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Shakir, who was recording a confrontation between the police and demonstrators, recognized his own uncle, a LAPD officer, among the officers in formation. He engaged with his uncle, shouting, “Our ancestors are turning over in their grave right now!” Shakir claims that his uncle, identified as Eric Anderson, then instructed other officers to fire a hard-foam projectile at him.
“Long Arm of Justice” Strikes with $3.75 Million Verdict
Civil rights attorney Carl Douglas, representing Shakir, expressed his hope that the substantial damages awarded would send a strong message that such instances of police violence should not be accepted. However, the City Council’s approval is still pending for the awarded sum.
The city attorney’s office, as represented by Karen Richardson, declined to comment on the jury’s ruling. Similarly, the police department did not provide a response to an email inquiry seeking their stance.
Shakir, a protester hit twice by LAPD’s hard-foam projectiles, is now a recipient of $3.75 million in damages. (Fox News)
During the trial, the defense utilized body camera footage and an Instagram livestream to reconstruct the events of that day.
The lawsuit stated that Shakir was struck once and then hit again while he was attempting to retrieve his phone, which had been knocked out of his hand by the initial projectile.
Painful Consequences and Unreported Actions
Shakir had to undergo a year of physical therapy due to the hand injury caused by the incident. Even now, he continues to experience pain, according to his attorney.
An internal investigation within the police department brought to light that the use of less-lethal force, which caused harm to Shakir, was not formally reported, as outlined by Douglas.
The incident transpired amidst nationwide protests triggered by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.
Additionally, the city remains entangled in a substantial class-action lawsuit brought forward by Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles and other advocacy groups, focusing on its handling of the 2020 protests. As per the Times, various other lawsuits have already reached settlements.