LOS ANGELES -- A police officer who says he was passed over for promotion by the predominantly black city of Inglewood because he is white was awarded nearly $550,000 in a reverse discrimination lawsuit.

Nine members of the 12-person jury found that race was a substantial factor in Lt. Ron Wood losing out on the promotion to Hamptron Cantrell, who is black.

Although three jurors concluded race was not a factor, they agreed with the majority that Wood should be awarded $34,000 in lost wages, $440,762 in future lost wages and $75,000 for emotional distress. Verdicts do not have to be unanimous in civil trials.

Wood, 55, said outside court he felt the award was fair, adding the lawsuit allowed him to get his message across.

"I'm not the most popular guy in Inglewood right now," he said. "But there were things that needed to be said."

Jury foreman Richard Elliott said the panel felt the decision to elevate Cantrell instead of Wood was political and that race and politics were intertwined in the suburban city southwest of Los Angeles, which has a large black population and a predominantly black City Council. The council gave Cantrell the job.

"I think we were concerned that the chief didn't make the choice, that the City Council jumped into it and made it political," Elliott said. "Race is a factor in politics -- in Inglewood, in Los Angeles, everywhere."

As for Cantrell, he said, "He was certainly well-qualified. But he was a climber, selling himself. He's a guy who's got an agenda. I don't think we were as impressed with him as he was with himself."

The only black member of the jury, Jeannie Matthews, said outside court that she did not vote with the majority because she didn't feel race was a factor in Wood being passed over.

But she said there wasn't sufficient evidence to explain why he was passed over, and she was "confused" by Police Chief Ronald Banks' decision to let the City Council decide who would be promoted.

She spoke highly of Cantrell.

"The thing I respected about him is he told the truth," she said. "He said this was something he wanted. He knew what they expected and he went for it."

Other jurors who voted with Matthews were an Asian man and a white woman.

Attorney Nelson Atkins, who represented the city, complained that testimony from disgruntled city employees may have influenced the jury.

Wood's attorney, Gregory Smith, said he was satisfied with the verdict. Although the amount awarded was only half what Wood sought, Smith said it is "extremely rare" to prevail in a reverse discrimination suit and that money wasn't the main issue anyway.

"All that Lt. Wood ever wanted was to be vindicated in his belief that he was a victim of reverse discrimination," Smith said.