In the shadow of the federal courthouse in downtown Las Vegas, a long fight for justice reached a turning point. After two weeks of testimony, nine jurors — all women — returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the family of Jorge Antonio “Tony” Gomez, the 25-year-old fatally shot by Las Vegas police on June 1, 2020, during the George Floyd protests.

The decision marked a rare victory in a city still reckoning with the trauma of that summer. The jury found that Gomez’s constitutional rights had been violated, awarding $1.5 million for a First Amendment retaliation claim, $2.5 million for excessive force under the Fourth Amendment, and another $2.5 million on a state battery claim related to wrongful death damages.

“It’s not a total victory,” said civil rights attorney Dale Galipo, who represented the Gomez family, “but we do feel it is a victory, and we are grateful to the jury for the findings they made — for showing that courage.” His tone carried both relief and exhaustion, the sound of a man who has seen too many parents stand in the same courthouse hallways searching for justice long delayed.

Galipo reminded reporters that this verdict represents a crucial acknowledgment — that Jorge Gomez’s decision to stand among protesters exercising their First Amendment rights should never have been met with lethal force. One of the four officers involved, Sergeant Freiman, was found directly liable, a signal, Galipo said, of accountability for those in command.

Beside him stood Jeannie Gomez, Jorge’s mother, holding back tears as she addressed the small crowd gathered outside. “It’s been very emotional,” she said softly. “Most attorneys are in there for the bottom dollar, but I really feel like these attorneys are family.”

Her words turned outward, toward the community she has stood with since the night her son was killed. “You guys know that when my son was a part of you guys, he was out there protesting,” she said. “And I really hope that us winning this First Amendment right — that’s the most important part. It gives you the right to continue protesting against police brutality, murder, and violence. It gives you the right to voice what you feel and not be inhibited from doing so.”

For Jeannie, the verdict is both a moment of relief and a reminder of unfinished work. “The three officers still haven’t been held accountable,” she added. “We’re going to continue fighting.”

In a city where memories of that night in 2020 still linger — helicopters overhead, chants echoing through downtown, the tension between protest and policing palpable — this verdict represents something larger than a single case. It affirms the principle that protest itself is protected speech, even when those speaking are challenging the systems that surround them.

Five years later, the Gomez family’s struggle has become a symbol for a wider movement in Las Vegas — one that refuses to let the silence of loss drown out the call for reform. “It’s been a long journey,” Galipo said, “but this is a step in the right direction.”

And in the heart of the desert, where the lights of the Strip can make almost anything look brighter than it is, that step — however small — carries the weight of a community still demanding to be seen, and heard, without fear.