Judge Awards $41,000 In 'Fajitagate' Case

June 12 - BCN -- A lawyer for two men who alleged they were beaten by three off-duty San Francisco police officers in a fight over fajitas said a Superior Court jury today awarded the men $41,000 in damages.

Attorney Ben Rosenfeld said Jade Santoro was awarded $32,000 and Adam Snyder was awarded $9,000 from former officer Alex Fagan Jr. and officer Matthew Tonsing for the incident on Nov. 20, 2002.

Rosenfeld said former officer David Lee was exonerated by the jury.

The attorney said the jury in the court of San Francisco Judge Paul Alvarado was continuing to deliberate this afternoon on whether to award additional punitive damages.

The civil lawsuit filed by Santoro and Snyder was based on claims of battery and excessive force.

The men claimed they were beaten by the three off-duty officers during a fight over a bag of fajitas outside a Union Street bar.

The three officers were tried on criminal assault charges, but juries acquitted them of most charges and deadlocked on a few lesser charges.

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