Next month, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is once again planning to present its case against a man accused of attempted murder in a Halloween 2022 shooting.
Whether Isaac Rashad Clark, 25, of Lancaster, shot the victim after a confrontation outside the Black and Blue Restaurant at the Valencia mall was not contested by the defense during the nearly three-week trial.
However, the jury, which asked several questions during two days of deliberation, reported it was “hopelessly deadlocked” as to whether the shooting was attempted murder, as the prosecution claimed, or self-defense, which Clark’s attorney argued.
Jurors asked a few questions and then heard arguments before announcing they were deadlocked Aug. 8.
Deputy District Attorney Shareen Nazimi argued that Clark waited for his victim outside the bar following a confrontation inside the restaurant, goaded him into another confrontation and then shot him in the parking lot while Clark was surrounded by his friends.
Defense attorney Jaaye Person-Lynn argued that the victim was bigger than Clark, and Clark was running for his life and even firing warning shots, as the victim charged at him for 60 yards across the Valencia mall parking lot, prior to the shooting.
Clark had multiple previous convictions, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm or ammunition.
He was convicted of three counts connected to the weapons charges associated with the shooting.
In May 2021, Clark was sentenced to 16 months in L.A. County jail for a felony grand theft charge.
He also pleaded no contest to a reckless driving charge in connection with a DUI allegation in 2017, a battery conviction in 2019 connected to a domestic violence allegation and a June 2019 conviction for grand theft connected to a robbery allegation, according to L.A. County Superior Court records available online.
Judge David Walgren ordered the new trial on the additional two charges, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, at the request of the prosecution and over the objection of the defense, according to the court record.
A hearing for the sentencing of Clark on the weapons charges and the discussion of his next trial is set for Sept. 6.
Clark remains in custody in lieu of more than $2 million bail.
