Seattle Fights $30.5M CHOP Shooting Verdict

City argues damages are excessive and trial had errors, but attorney says appeal unlikely to succeed.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 1:53am

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The City of Seattle is appealing a $30.5 million verdict in which the city was found negligent in the death of Antonio Mays Jr., who was shot and killed at the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) in 2020. While the city argues the amount is excessive and the result of a trial with errors, a local attorney says the city's chances of winning the appeal are extremely low.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing tensions between the city government and community groups over the handling of the 2020 CHOP protests, which led to several violent incidents and a high-profile lawsuit. The large damages award also puts pressure on the city's budget and could set a precedent for future protest-related lawsuits.

The details

According to the report, the city is arguing the $30.5 million verdict is excessive and the result of errors in the trial. However, attorney Chris Davis from Davis Law Group said the city is unlikely to win its motion to appeal, as judges rarely admit to making mistakes. Davis explained that the jury was properly instructed to allocate damages between the city and the unidentified shooter, and the verdict was only against the city, not the shooter.

  • The CHOP shooting incident occurred in 2020.
  • The $30.5 million verdict against the city was recently issued.
  • The city has now filed a motion to appeal the verdict.

The players

City of Seattle

The local government entity being sued for negligence in the CHOP shooting death.

Chris Davis

An attorney at Davis Law Group who is familiar with the case and the judge overseeing the appeal.

Antonio Mays Jr.

The individual who was shot and killed during the 2020 CHOP protests in Seattle.

Judge Sean O'Donnell

The King County Superior Court judge who will rule on the city's motion to appeal the $30.5 million verdict.

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What they’re saying

“Are many judges likely to do that? To admit they made an error?”

— Jake Skorheim, KIRO Newsradio Host

“No, and especially not this judge. Judge O'Donnell is a very good judge. I'm very familiar with him. He makes very good, reasoned rulings. So I put the city's chances at winning this motion extremely low.”

— Chris Davis, Attorney, Davis Law Group

“Anytime there's an intentional actor, like the shooter in this case, and you've also got a negligent party, which is the City of Seattle, the jury is asked to segregate the damages between the two.”

— Chris Davis, Attorney, Davis Law Group

What’s next

The motion for the city's appeal will go before Judge Sean O'Donnell. If he denies the appeal, the city has said it will file a notice to appeal the ruling to the Washington Court of Appeals.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions and legal battles between the City of Seattle and community groups over the handling of the 2020 CHOP protests. The large damages award puts significant financial pressure on the city, and the outcome of the appeal could set an important precedent for future protest-related lawsuits against local governments.