Mom files lawsuit in Los Angeles police shooting of unarmed man

LOS ANGELES — The mother of an unarmed man fatally shot in the back by a Los Angeles police officer last year sued the city and the police chief Tuesday, saying his death is emblematic of a culture of excessive force.

The lawsuits alleging wrongful death and unjustified force in the killing of Brendon Glenn, 29, were filed in local and federal courts by attorneys for Sheryn Camprone of Troy, New York. The lawsuits, which seek unspecified damages, also name the officers involved in the May 5 confrontation in the Venice area.

“Glenn was unarmed and not threatening anyone. The killing was completely unjustified,” according to the lawsuits.

The lawsuits cite 21 fatal shootings by Los Angeles Police Department officers in 2015, saying Chief Charlie Beck has failed to adequately discipline his officers, “creating a culture of impunity within the LAPD that encourages such violence and incidents of unreasonable force against the public.”

Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the city attorney’s office, said he could not comment on pending litigation. Capt. Andrew Neiman, a police spokesman, also declined to comment.

Last month, Beck recommended that the officer who shot Glenn twice in the back be criminally charged. Prosecutors haven’t decided whether to file charges.