A man who was injured by a San José police foam bullet during the protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder has been awarded $1.35 million by a jury in federal court.
The verdict, handed in on Wednesday afternoon following a roughly nine-day trial and three days of deliberation, notches a victory for Kyle Johnson, a 33-year-old Sunnyvale resident who was the first of several people injured in those protests to make it to a trial.
“I think our client is really feeling validated and grateful that he got his day in court,” said Abimael Bastida, an attorney with McManis Faulkner representing Johnson. “It was days and days of trial, and it was a challenging case, but we are pleased with the jury’s verdict.”
In addition to the money awarded to Johnson, San José will be required to pay for Johnson’s attorneys fees, Bastida said.
San José City Attorney Nora Frimann told KQED in an email Friday that the city is reviewing the decision.