A federal jury found Tuesday that a former Fresno police officer used excessive force in the 2009 shooting death of 23-year-old Stephen Willis.
But jurors in the civil-rights trial also said Willis contributed to his own death.
The jury awarded $1.5 million in damages, saying former officer Greg Catton not only acted with excessive force, but his negligence caused Willis' wrongful death.
Willis' family, however, will receive only $300,0000 because the jury ruled Catton was only 20% responsible for Willis' death. His own negligence made him 80% responsible, the jury determined.
The jury said another former Fresno officer, Daniel Astacio, who also shot Willis multiple times, committed no wrongdoing and that neither Catton nor Astacio killed Willis out of malice, oppression or reckless disregard.