Calif. jury awards $1.7M to TV news camerawoman who claimed police abuse at May Day protest
By APFriday, July 2, 2010
Calif. jury awards $1.7M to TV news camerawoman
LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles jury has awarded $1.7 million to a television news camera operator who said she was brutalized by police during a 2007 May Day protest.
Jurors awarded the damages on Friday to KTTV-TV camerawoman Patricia Ballaz. The panel also awarded $39,000 to KPPC radio reporter Patricia Nazario but failed to reach a verdict for KTTV reporter Christina Gonzalez.
The journalists claimed police used excessive force on them as officers clashed with immigration protesters at MacArthur Park.
Attorneys for the city argued that the journalists were only shoved after they refused to get out of the way and fought police.
Last year, the city agreed to pay nearly $13 million to settle lawsuits filed by attendees who said they were injured or mistreated during the rally.
