The Echo of a Shot: A Homeless Man's Death, an Officer's Charges, Eight Years Later

Eight years. Just think about that for a moment. Eight long years have passed since a sunny May day in Venice Beach, California, turned irrevocably dark, etching a profound question mark into the very fabric of Los Angeles’s conscience. It was May 5, 2015, and on that day, Brendon Glenn, a 29-year-old homeless man, was shot and killed by an LAPD officer. For years, his family, advocates, and honestly, a significant part of the public, wondered if justice would ever truly come for Brendon.

But here we are, in late 2023, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. Frank Hernandez, a former Los Angeles Police Department officer, has now been formally charged with murder in Glenn’s death. Yes, murder. It’s a development that feels both startlingly sudden, considering the passage of time, and yet, for many, long, long overdue.

The story, you see, isn't simple. It’s layered with conflicting accounts, bureaucratic decisions, and a persistent community push for accountability. Back in 2016, Jackie Lacey, who was then the District Attorney, had declined to file charges. She cited, at the time, a tapestry of inconsistent witness statements and, crucially, a lack of body camera footage – a detail that, in retrospect, feels increasingly significant. Interestingly, even then, the LAPD's own Chief, Charlie Beck, had recommended that Hernandez should be prosecuted for his actions. But, alas, the charges weren’t filed then.

So, what exactly transpired on May 5, 2015? Hernandez and his partner, Clifford Proctor, were responding to reports of a man harassing passersby near the boardwalk. That man was Brendon Glenn. When officers tried to detain him, a struggle ensued. According to Hernandez’s account, Glenn had reached for Proctor’s gun during the altercation, a claim that, well, didn't quite align with all the evidence. Video footage from a nearby business, which police obtained, reportedly contradicted that assertion, as did some witness statements.

Enter George Gascón, the current District Attorney, who took office with a commitment to review cases involving police use of force, particularly those from previous administrations. He inherited this complex legacy. His office, in revisiting the details of Glenn’s death, came to a different conclusion entirely. Gascón, in announcing the charges, stated quite plainly that Hernandez's actions were “unlawful, unconstitutional, and unnecessary.” Strong words, indeed, suggesting a clear deviation from what's deemed acceptable.

Hernandez, who actually retired from the LAPD in 2020, pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. He was released on bail, and his next court appearance is slated for March 2024. Meanwhile, Proctor, his partner, had fired a less-lethal beanbag shotgun during the incident, but he never resorted to deadly force. This distinction, one could argue, only sharpens the focus on Hernandez’s specific actions.

For Brendon Glenn’s family, this development, after such a long and painful wait, must be incredibly significant. They’ve been advocating tirelessly for accountability, pushing for answers in the face of what felt like institutional inertia. And perhaps this case, finally seeing charges filed, speaks to a broader shift in how such incidents are handled – a testament, maybe, to persistent advocacy and changing tides in criminal justice reform. It’s a narrative that, in truth, remains unfinished, but for now, at least, a new chapter has certainly begun.