Jurors have awarded protesters in the 2020 demonstrations against the death of Minneapolis man, George Floyd, a total of $14 million.

The death of Floyd in the summer of 2020 sparked a national outcry for police reform across the nation. In many cities, demonstrators came out to peacefully protest police brutality against everyday Americans, particularly unarmed Black men.

Protesters in Denver, Colorado, joined in on this mass demonstration of peaceful protesting against law enforcement. In doing so, however, some protesters claimed that the authorities unjustly used excessive force against the peaceful protesters. As a result, 12 protestors moved forward with a suit against the city.

The jury, which consisted of six women and two men selected from areas throughout Colorado, deliberated for four hours before returning their guilty verdict. As part of their deliberations, they sided with plaintiffs who argued that the police violated their rights to be protected from unreasonable force along with their free speech protections.

In the suit, the protesters detail unprecedented force including the use of “less lethal projectiles.” The lawsuit gives a detailed background of the abusive tactics Black victims including Breonna Taylor and Elijah McClain suffered at the hands of law enforcement before going to explain similar tactics Colorado police used on the protestors.

“As a result of the excessive force perpetrated by Officers in Denver, Plaintiffs have suffered a variety of physical injuries, including but not limited to: skull, jaw, and disc fractures; a brain bleed; bruising on the back, limbs, and face; burning in and on the eyes, throat, and face; and lost vision,” the complaint reads. “Plaintiffs have also suffered disorientation; sleeplessness; and extended and continuing periods of fearfulness and anxiety.”

One protestor, Zach Packard, details being hit in the head by a shotgun blast. As a result, Packard had to seek medical attention in the intensive care unit. A GoFundMe account set up for Packard describes the medical suffering he endured including a skull fracture that left him with brain hemorrhaging.

Reports of the trial indicate that the city of Denver admitted to mistakes that were made during the protests, one of which was the training in crowd control tactics. However, an attorney for Denver, Lindsay Jordan, detailed that that training was canceled due to COVID-19. Jordan explained that just because the city made mistakes, that does not automatically mean the city violated the rights of protestors, adding that protestors were able to pursue their free speech despite any force officers may have used.

As a result of the protests in Denver, at least five police officers faced disciplinary action. One officer, who was new to the force and still on a probationary period, was also fired. His termination occurred after a photo of him surfaced online that depicted him wearing tactical gear with the caption, “Let’s start a riot.”

As a result of the settlement, most of the plaintiffs will receive $1 million each. However, due to his injuries and pain and suffering, Packard will receive the largest damage amount, $3 million.