In a significant legal development, a grand jury indictment was revealed on Friday, charging a former Los Angeles police officer with second-degree murder in connection with the 2015 shooting of an unarmed homeless man in Venice. This announcement was made by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, marking a pivotal moment in a case that has been under scrutiny for years.
Clifford Proctor, the officer in question, entered a plea of not guilty, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. The incident involved the tragic death of 29-year-old Brendan Glenn, who was fatally shot during a confrontation with officers outside a bar. Glenn had been involved in an altercation with a bouncer earlier that night. His death has since become a symbol in the ongoing discourse about police shootings in the city. Notably, both Glenn and Proctor are Black.
This indictment follows a reexamination of the case by former District Attorney George Gascón, who scrutinized four cases involving police use of force, including Proctor’s. The current District Attorney, Nathan Hochman, who succeeded Gascón after winning the election in November, stated that he would evaluate the case further to determine the next steps in the prosecution process.
Proctor’s attorney, Anthony “Tony” Garcia, expressed skepticism regarding the timing of the charges, pointing out that a decision was made back in 2018 not to prosecute his client. This observation raises questions about what has changed in the years since that decision was initially made.
Hochman, who ousted Gascón in November’s election, will review the case and decide whether to proceed with the prosecution, the statement said.
Proctor’s lawyer, Anthony “Tony” Garcia, questioned the timing of the charges and noted that prosecutors declined to charge his client in 2018, according to 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.
