In a striking development, Clifford Proctor, a former Los Angeles police officer, has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2015 shooting of Brendon Glenn, an unarmed homeless man. Proctor, who resigned from the LAPD in 2017, reportedly took several international flights while a murder warrant was pending against him, raising serious questions about the handling of his case by authorities.
The Incident That Sparked Outrage
The tragic encounter unfolded on May 5, 2015, when Proctor and his partner, Jonathan Kawahara, responded to complaints about Glenn and his dog causing a disturbance near a Venice Beach bar. The situation escalated into a confrontation, during which Proctor shot Glenn twice in the back. Glenn, 29, succumbed to his injuries in hospital shortly thereafter. Proctor’s defence maintained that he believed Glenn was attempting to seize his partner’s firearm, a claim that has been met with considerable scepticism.
In 2018, then-District Attorney Jackie Lacey opted not to file charges against Proctor, stating that his perception of a threat was reasonable under the circumstances. However, this decision was met with public outrage, and former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck openly disagreed, calling for Proctor to face criminal charges. The city’s police commission later deemed the shooting unjustified.
Reopening the Case
The political landscape shifted following Lacey’s defeat in the 2020 election by George Gascón, who has been an advocate for police accountability. Upon taking office, Gascón assigned special prosecutor Lawrence Middleton to revisit Lacey’s previous decisions regarding four high-profile use-of-force cases, including the shooting of Glenn.
In a dramatic turn, grand jury transcripts revealed that Kawahara contradicted Proctor’s narrative, stating he did not perceive Glenn as a threat or as someone trying to disarm him. This new information led to Proctor’s indictment on September 20, 2024, with an arrest warrant issued two weeks later, on October 3, due to authorities needing time to locate him.
International Travels Amidst Pending Charges
Despite the murder charge, Proctor managed to travel internationally, flying to Trinidad on October 2, 2024. His defence attorney, Tom Yu, claimed this trip was a pre-planned vacation and not an attempt to flee justice. Proctor was finally apprehended at Los Angeles International Airport in October 2025 upon return from his travels.
The circumstances surrounding Proctor’s arrest have raised eyebrows. Yu argued in court that his client was unaware of the murder warrant until he was detained. Notably, Proctor had been in the United States throughout 2025, with travel plans to Panama City later that month, suggesting that authorities may have overlooked opportunities for earlier apprehension.
Gaps in Law Enforcement Oversight
Greg Risling from the LA County District Attorney’s office confirmed that investigators had monitored Proctor’s residence in Carson, but by the time the arrest warrant was issued, he was no longer there. He stated that had they known Proctor’s whereabouts, they would have taken him into custody. A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection revealed that agents had encountered Proctor at airports outside California after the indictment, but they were restricted by the terms of the warrant, which allowed for an “in-state pick-up only.”
Proctor was eventually released on $100,000 bail in November 2025 and granted permission to travel for work. The prosecution has yet to decide whether to proceed to trial, with Proctor expected to appear in court again next month.
Why it Matters
The case of Clifford Proctor is emblematic of broader issues regarding police accountability and the judicial process in the United States. As communities across the globe grapple with calls for justice and reform, the handling of this case raises critical questions about the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms in safeguarding public trust. The ability of a former officer charged with murder to evade arrest for an extended period underscores the pressing need for systemic change within law enforcement agencies, particularly in how they respond to allegations of misconduct. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for police practices and community relations in the future.
