SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The trials for the four former Shreveport police officers charged in the April 2020 death of a man in their custody were on the Caddo Parish District Court docket for Monday, but have been reset for Jan. 20, 2022.

Treona McCarter, Brian Ross, D’Marea Johnson and James LeClare are charged with negligent homicide and malfeasance in the April 6, 2020 death of Tommie McGlothen Jr., who died in the backseat of a Shreveport police vehicle following a struggle with the officers.

Three of the four defendants – McCarter, Ross and Johnson – waived their rights to a jury trial but, as of Monday, LeClare was still on track for a jury trial.

In June 2020 following an autopsy and analysis, Caddo Parish Coroner Dr. Todd Thoma determined McGlothen died of natural causes, or “excited delirium,” he opined that it still was “a potentially preventable death.”

A statement released by Thoma at that time said police officers used Tasers, mace and nightsticks to control McGlothen, and then left him inside a squad car for 48 minutes before he was found unresponsive and not breathing.

“It is my opinion that if Mr. McGlothen had survived, he would have been transported to a medical facility for treatment rather than jail. Why there was a delay in achieving this is at issue.”

Three months later, a Caddo Parish grand jury handed down indictments charging the four officers with negligent homicide.

In addition to the criminal trial winding through district court, in March, McGlothen’s family filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit in federal court against the four defendants in the criminal trial, as well as the City of Shreveport, its insurance company, as well as former Shreveport Police Chief Ben Raymond, individually and as SPD Chief.