A jury has awarded $8.4 million to a former White police officer who alleged he faced discrimination and retaliation by Korean-American command staff at the La Palma Police Department. Ross Byer joined the department in May 2022 and completed his training that August with positive performance evalua tions, according to court records. His performance remained satisfactory until he was reassigned that year to a different sergeant. Byer alleged the sergeant, who is Korean-American, favored a Korean officer on the same shift and routinely gave Byer a heavier workload. During the trial, he acknowledged giving Byer more assignments than Byer’s Korean partner, records show. Byer reported the treatment to Capt. Jesse Amend in January and February 2023, alleging disparate treatment and remarks about wanting an “all-Korean police force,” Byer’s legal team said. Evidence presented in court showed that two other white officers had previously raised similar concerns about Sgt. Won Koh, including retaliation and negative evaluations. One of them was later terminated. Attorneys for Byer argued the testimony demonstrated an ongoing pattern of discrimination that city supervisors failed to address. In May 2023, Koh issued an annual evaluation rating stating that Byer “needs improvement,” which denied him a pay increase, according to court records. Department records introduced at trial showed Byer’s patrol activity closely matched his Korean partner’s. Byer resigned on June 1, 2023, saying he believed he was about to be fired, his attorneys said. A week later, Byer met with the city’s human resources staff to report discrimination, retaliation and concerns about alleged racial profiling directives, reporting that Koh directed him to target Black drivers for traffic stops, records show. Notes from that meeting were forwarded to senior management, but no investigation followed, according to testimony. Byer’s lawsuit accused the city of discrimination based on race and national origin, retaliation and failure to prevent discrimination. He waived claims for lost wages and other economic damages before trial, seeking compensation only for emotional distress. Attorneys for the city argued that Byer’s emotional distress stemmed from earlier personal losses unrelated to his job, including the loss of his father when he was a child and the loss of his daughter in 2020, and urged jurors to award no more than $35,000. The city had offered $75,000 to settle the case before trial, said Christian Petronelli, one of Byer’s lawyers. Byer’s attorneys sought $14 million. The jury deliberated for about five hours, Byer said. On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the jury found La Palma liable for $3.92 million in past and $4.48 million in future non-economic damages, totaling $8.4 million. Byer’s attorneys, Mitchel Vanderpool and Petronelli, said reverse-discrimination cases are difficult and rare, particularly in Orange County. “This case is about accountability,” Petronelli said. “Police hold us accountable if we speed or run a red light. This case is about who holds the police accountable when they violate the law.” Byer is no longer working in law enforcement, and has pivoted to a career in home inspections. “All I wanted was to be a police officer,” Byer said in a brief interview on Thursday. “But I knew that after suing – and winning – I’d be unhireable.” The City of La Palma said in a statement that it “takes this matter seriously” and is reviewing the verdict with legal counsel to determine next steps. The city declined to provide further comment. Related Articles Former Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs was an opioid addict for years before his death, psychiatrist testifies Jury deadlocks in trial of man accused of throwing fatal punch in downtown Riverside Moreno Valley man was served 33 alcoholic drinks on Royal Caribbean cruise before fatal confrontation, lawsuit says Ex-Compton councilmember admits to funneling $70,000 in bribes to Baldwin Park officials Eric Kay told detective that he spoke to Angels’ VP about doing drugs with Tyler Skaggs years before pitcher’s death ...read more read less