LOS ANGELES — A former Los Angeles police officer has been indicted by a grand jury in connection with the May 2015 fatal shooting of an unarmed homeless man in Venice, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. The indictment was made public on Friday.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Clifford Proctor has entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of second-degree murder.
The incident involved the death of 29-year-old Brendan Glenn, who was shot during an altercation with officers outside a bar following a confrontation with a bouncer. Glenn’s death sparked widespread protests against police shootings across Los Angeles. Both Glenn and the former officer, Proctor, are Black.
The District Attorney’s office, currently led by Nathan Hochman, issued a statement noting that the indictment follows a reevaluation of four law enforcement-related use-of-force incidents, including this case, by former District Attorney George Gascón.
Hochman, who recently succeeded Gascón after a November election victory, will now review the details of the case to determine the next steps in the prosecution process.
Proctor’s defense attorney, Anthony “Tony” Garcia, expressed concern over the timing of the indictment, pointing out that a decision was previously made not to charge Proctor back in 2018, as reported by the Times.
In 2018, LA District Attorney Jackie Lacey declined to press charges, saying there was insufficient evidence to prove Proctor acted unlawfully when he used deadly force.
Glenn was on his stomach and trying to push himself up when Proctor shot him in the back, according to police. He wasn’t trying to take a gun from Proctor or his partner when he was shot, and Proctor’s partner told investigators that he didn’t know why the officer opened fire, police have said.
Proctor resigned from the Los Angeles Police Department in 2017. The city paid $4 million to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit that was brought by Glenn’s relatives.
Proctor, 60, remains in jail. His next court date is Nov. 3.
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