Judge upholds Seattle’s record $30.5M verdict in Antonio Mays Jr. CHOP death case

SEATTLE — A King County Superior Court judge has upheld a $30.5 million jury verdict against the City of Seattle in the death of Antonio Mays Jr., rejecting all post-trial motions filed by the city.

Judge Sean P. O’Donnell denied the motions Friday in the case filed by Mays’ family, leaving intact the verdict returned Jan. 29, 2026, the largest in Seattle’s history.

Mays, 16, was shot June 29, 2020, inside the Capitol Hill Organized Protest, or CHOP, zone, where police and emergency services had been withdrawn during protests following the killing of George Floyd.

Jury finds city of Seattle liable for teen’s death in CHOP zone; awards family $30-million

Attorneys for the Mays family argued the teen’s injuries were survivable and that the city’s failure to provide timely emergency response led to his death. A jury deliberated for 12 days before reaching the $30.5 million verdict.

The city challenged multiple aspects of the verdict, including causation, damages and alleged juror misconduct, but the judge rejected those arguments.

This ruling confirms what 12 jurors already told the City of Seattle,” attorneys with Oshan Law, representing the Mays family, said in a statement. “Judge O’Donnell considered every argument the city raised and found none sufficient. The verdict stands.

Antonio Mays Sr., the teen’s father, said the ruling affirms the jury’s findings.

“My son came to this city and this city turned its back on him,” he said in a statement. “Today, the court confirmed what the jury already said — his life mattered.”

The city has not yet publicly indicated whether it plans to appeal.