In brief
Clifford Proctor, a former Los Angeles police officer, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder charges stemming from the 2015 shooting of Brendan Glenn. The indictment follows a reexamination of use-of-force cases by current District Attorney Nathan Hochman. Glenn, 29, was shot in the back during a struggle with officers, raising serious questions about police use of deadly force. Proctor, who resigned from the LAPD in 2017, remains in custody with a court date set for November 3.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A grand jury indictment was unsealed Friday charging a former Los Angeles police officer in the May 2015 shooting death of an unarmed homeless man in Venice, as announced by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. Clifford Proctor pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder, according to the Los Angeles Times. The victim, Brendan Glenn, 29, was killed during a struggle with officers outside a bar where he had fought with a bouncer, becoming a symbol against police shootings in the city. Both Glenn and Proctor are Black. The indictment comes after a review of four use-of-force cases by the current LA District Attorney Nathan Hochman, following his election against the previous DA, George Gascón. Hochman is set to decide whether to proceed with the prosecution. Proctor’s attorney has expressed skepticism about the timing of the charges, especially since the previous DA opted not to prosecute in 2018, citing insufficient evidence. At the time of the incident, police reported that Glenn was attempting to push himself up when Proctor shot him in the back. Glenn had not posed a threat, and Proctor's partner alleged ignorance regarding the justification for the shooting. Proctor resigned from the LAPD in 2017, and the city later settled a wrongful-death lawsuit brought by Glenn's family for $4 million. Currently, Proctor remains in jail with his next court date scheduled for November 3.
