A Los Angeles jury has awarded more than $2 million to a protester who was shot in the face with a less-lethal projectile by a sheriff’s deputy during a 2020 demonstration. The man, Cellin Gluck, was injured at a protest against police brutality following the killing of George Floyd.
The jury decided that L.A. County was responsible for Gluck’s injuries and initially set damages at $3.5 million. Gluck’s daughter, who was with him at the protest, was also awarded $300,000 for emotional distress. However, because the jury found Gluck and others partly to blame, the final payout was reduced by 35%. This brought Gluck’s award to about $2.27 million and his daughter’s to $195,000.
Gluck, a film director known for works like “Oba: The Last Samurai,” said he was hit while holding only a camera. The force of the shot threw him to the ground. The projectile lodged in his nasal cavity and stayed there for nearly a year until surgery removed it. The injury caused permanent disfigurement and brain trauma, which Gluck continues to deal with.
His lawyer, Carl Douglas, said this verdict offers some justice but is only half of what they hoped for. Douglas also emphasized that law enforcement officers are trained not to aim at the head unless there is a deadly threat, something that did not apply to Gluck. He criticized the fact that the deputy who fired the shot was never identified, calling it a “tremendous indictment” of the county’s system.
The sheriff’s department acknowledged that a new administration is now in place and said it is reviewing the incident to learn how to improve.
This case comes as police use of less-lethal weapons during protests has faced new criticism. Recently in downtown Los Angeles, journalists and protesters have been struck by rubber bullets and other projectiles amid demonstrations against immigration policies and federal agents. A judge has even stopped the LAPD from using these weapons against journalists.
In another related incident, a protester filed a civil rights claim after losing a finger during a protest over local political issues. Such claims are required under California law before lawsuits against cities or counties over police actions can move forward.
Gluck is 67 years old and will have to live with the effects of his injury for the rest of his life. His attorney hopes this case sends a message to law enforcement to do better and be more accountable.