NewsCalifornia News

Actions

One-legged inmate awarded $504,000 in excessive force suit

File image of a gavel in front of law books.
Posted

(AP) — A federal jury in San Francisco has awarded $504,000 to a one-legged jail inmate who was forced to hop to a cell.

Wednesday's verdict came in an excessive force lawsuit filed by Vincent Bell against the city.

Bell is awaiting trial in connection with the 2012 murder of a man who was kidnapped, shot and dumped on a San Francisco street.



Bell was being held at the jail in 2018 when he was moved to a padded “safety cell."

The suit says Bell was taken from his wheelchair and ordered to hop more than 60 feet to the cell.

When he fell, he was carried face-down.

The city attorney's office says the guards acted appropriately.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Saturday

03/14/2026

Clear

-° / 53°

3%

Sunday

03/15/2026

Mostly Clear

81° / 55°

5%

Monday

03/16/2026

Clear

87° / 59°

3%

Tuesday

03/17/2026

Clear

92° / 62°

2%

Wednesday

03/18/2026

Clear

93° / 63°

2%

Thursday

03/19/2026

Clear

92° / 63°

3%

Friday

03/20/2026

Clear

93° / 65°

1%

Saturday

03/21/2026

Partly Cloudy

94° / 62°

1%