A California jury awarded $2.045 million last week to an African-American motorist who was shot in the back by a Los Angeles police officer. Out-of-uniform officers Ronald Orosco and Gorgonio Medina pulled over Charles Beatty, 68, for a traffic violation on June 14, 2000. After receiving a citation, Beatty became argumentative with the officers, at which point Orosco attempted to pull the plaintiff out of the car. When Beatty sped off, Orosco fired two shots through his rear window, striking Beatty in the back. The Los Angeles Superior Court jury determined the officer was negligent when he fired into the occupied vehicle.