An ex-LAPD officer who shot and killed an unarmed homeless man in 2015 was arrested on a felony homicide warrant Thursday, authorities mentioned.
Clifford Proctor, 60, was arrested at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport after flying again to the U.S. from a international nation, in response to two legislation enforcement sources with direct data of the state of affairs who requested anonymity to debate an ongoing felony case.
“The Los Angeles Police Division is conscious of the arrest of a former LAPD officer at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport on a felony homicide warrant,” the division mentioned in an announcement.
The deadly 2015 confrontation triggered a decadelong authorized struggle over whether or not Proctor ought to face felony fees for his on-duty actions.
Proctor fired two deadly photographs into the again of Brendon Glenn, 29, after a dispute with a bouncer exterior a bar close to the Venice Speedway in Could 2015. Glenn was unarmed on the time, and the capturing sparked outrage and protests.
Former Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck publicly referred to as for Proctor to be charged within the capturing. In 2018, then-L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey declined carry a case.
Sources beforehand informed The Occasions {that a} warrant for Proctor’s arrest was issued final 12 months, after then-Dist. Atty. George Gascón had the case reviewed by a particular prosecutor, Lawrence Middleton, whom he employed to re-examine prosecutions of police in on-duty shootings. Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman fired Middleton earlier this 12 months.
The district legal professional’s workplace declined to remark. Calls to Gascón, Middleton and Michael Gennaco, the particular prosecutor Hochman positioned over the case earlier this 12 months, weren’t instantly returned.
Invoice Seki, Proctor’s former protection legal professional, mentioned he had no details about an arrest. Courtroom information don’t present the submitting of a felony grievance towards Proctor.
Proctor was identified to be dwelling exterior the nation on the time Gascón obtained the arrest warrant final 12 months, a number of legislation enforcement sources informed The Occasions.
“It’s about time that the subsequent step towards bringing justice for the household of Brendon Glenn is taken by arresting the officer who’s chargeable for his loss of life,” mentioned V. James DeSimone, an legal professional for the Glenn household. “I do know that is one thing that is essential to his mom and sister they usually hope final justice is achieved with a conviction.”
Proctor and one other officer responded to experiences of Glenn and his canine inflicting a disturbance after he’d been kicked out of the Financial institution of Venice restaurant on Windward Avenue in 2015, in response to a report issued by the district legal professional’s workplace after they declined to prosecute Proctor.
Glenn’s canine moved towards Proctor, who threatened to shoot the animal earlier than ordering Glenn to depart the world, the report mentioned. Glenn responded by hurling a number of racial slurs at Proctor. Each males are Black.
Glenn walked away from the world and the officers adopted, the report mentioned. After Glenn obtained into an altercation with a bouncer at a unique bar, Proctor and his companion tried to arrest Glenn, the report mentioned.
In the course of the ensuing battle, Proctor shot Glenn twice within the again whereas the officers had been wrestling with him on the bottom. In 2016, Proctor’s legal professional mentioned Glenn was reaching for his companion’s gun, however footage from the scene contradicted that declare.
Glenn’s hand was by no means seen “on or close to any portion” of the holster, in response to a report made by town’s Police Fee in 2016, and Proctor’s companion by no means made “any statements or actions” suggesting Glenn was making an attempt to take the gun.
Proctor resigned from the LAPD in 2017.
Craig Lally, president of the Los Angeles Police Protecting League, the union that represents rank-and-file metropolis law enforcement officials, mentioned in an announcement that the group hasn’t represented Proctor since he left the division.
“We’ve confidence that the felony justice system will produce a good end result with regard to this tragedy,” Lally mentioned.
