$3.6M Verdict: LAPD Shot Filmmaker With Projectile
In a significant victory for civil rights, a jury awarded $3.6 million to A. Jamal Shakir, Jr. following a violent encounter with the Los Angeles Police Department. On October 19, 2020, Shakir was peacefully using his cell phone to record police activity during a downtown protest when Officer Eric Anderson fired a 40mm "less-lethal" foam baton projectile directly at him. The high-velocity impact crushed Shakir’s hand, causing multiple fractures and permanent physical damage. The lawsuit alleged that the LAPD used excessive force to stop Shakir from exercising his First Amendment right to film the police. This verdict holds the City of Los Angeles accountable for the improper use of tactical weapons against non-violent observers and journalists.
