A teenager from Los Angeles County is set to receive roughly $2.7 million after he was allegedly beaten two years ago in so-called "gladiator" fights that took place at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.
The development comes as the LA County Board of Supervisors agreed to give the 18-year-old the amount of $2.67 million. The individual, identified as Jose Rivas Barillas, was only 16 years old when he was beaten by several other youths in December 2023 in a series of "gladiator" fights.
Teen Receives $2.7 Million After Being Victim of "Gladiator" Fights
Images that were taken from CCTV footage showed the teenager being beaten by six other minors at Los Padrinos. On the other hand, probation officers on duty only stood by and watched the fights despite the distressing situation Barillas was in.
Two of the officers who were on duty at the time were later identified as longtime probation officials Taneha Brooks and Shawn Smyles. The two of them have already been accused of laughing while watching the "gladiator" fights and are said to have encouraged them, according to Witnessla.
The teen's attorney, Jamal Tooson, said that what made the case so unique was the video footage of the "gladiator" fights themselves. He added that his client had suffered from a broken nose and traumatic brain injury because of how badly he was beaten at the time.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Mar. 3, 2025, the unsealing of a grand jury indictment against 30 detention services officers from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. It noted charges of child endangerment, abuse, conspiracy, and battery.
Tooson added that his client, following the beating, did not receive medical attention immediately and his parents were not notified of the incident. He argued that probation officers instead let him sit there while his nose was bleeding into his lunch, the New York Times reported.
An Inexcusable Incident
The chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors commented on the $2.7 million settlement, saying that what happened to Barillas was "inexcusable." Officials previously said that roughly 140 detainees, whose ages range from 12 to 18, were involved in the "gladiator" fights.
Bonta said that probation officers at Los Padrinos allegedly wanted the fights to happen at the start of the day, at a certain time and place. It seems they also created an area and timeframe where and when the fights could happen.
The investigation into the issue started after the Los Angeles Times obtained and published video footage of Barillas being beaten by six others as probation officers idly stood by, as per NBC News.
