A freelance photojournalist is taking on the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, filing a legal claim that says a so-called less-lethal round left him badly injured while he was covering anti-ICE protests in June 2025. He says the projectile tore into his thigh and sent him into emergency surgery to remove fragments. The sheriff’s department has said it will review any formal complaint.
What the claim says
According to KNX News, attorney V. James DeSimone submitted a filing that alleges deputies fired an explosive-type 40mm round and that a casing ricocheted into the photographer’s right thigh, lodging several inches deep. The claim says the object had to be surgically removed and that the photographer spent several days in the hospital after the June incident. It seeks unspecified damages from the county and argues that the use of force violated both federal and state law.
Stern’s account from the scene
Nick Stern told The Guardian he suddenly felt a "mighty pain" in his leg and later saw "what felt like a five-centimeter hole with muscle hanging out of it" after medics cut away his clothing. Stern said he was clearly wearing a press credential and was there to photograph the standoff, not participate in the protest itself. He was taken to the trauma center at Long Beach Memorial before undergoing surgery, according to the reporting.
Alleged violations in the filing
The claim, as described by KNX News, lays out a long list of alleged violations, including claims under the Fourth Amendment and state law, the Bane and Ralph acts, battery, negligence, and a citation to Penal Code 13652, which is meant to protect journalists at demonstrations. The filing also argues that supervisors failed to properly train deputies and that projectiles were fired indiscriminately into crowds. The attorney contends that the conduct amounted to excessive force and says Los Angeles County should be held accountable.
Part of a larger pattern of reporter injuries
Multiple reporters and photojournalists were injured while covering the June demonstrations, and press-freedom groups documented dozens of incidents in which journalists were struck by projectiles, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. The fallout over law enforcement tactics has already reached federal court, where a judge issued a temporary order limiting LAPD use of projectiles against clearly identified reporters during related protests, as reported by Vanity Fair. Those developments explain why attorneys and press advocates have zeroed in on cases like this one.
Local coverage and next steps
As reported by CBS Los Angeles, the claim stems from anti-ICE protests last year that drew a heavy response from law enforcement. The attorney who announced the filing says he plans to push for both damages and broader accountability. Under county procedures, officials can accept or reject the claim before any state-law lawsuit can move forward. If the county rejects it, the photographer can seek permission to sue in court, potentially launching a longer civil battle.
Legal mechanics to watch
Because the case involves a county agency, California’s Government Tort Claims Act requires that a claim for personal injury be presented to the public entity within six months of when the claim accrues, a condition that must be met before many state-law damages actions can proceed, according to California Government Code § 911.2. Filing the claim does not resolve what actually happened on the street that day, it simply starts the administrative process that can lead to litigation. If the parties do not settle, the dispute could move into full-blown civil litigation, with motions and discovery to follow.
