By Jorge Casuso
September 2, 2026 -- A Venice man initially charged with the June 2024 murder of a Main Street bar manager is suing the City and County for malicious prosecution, civil rights violations and defamation.
The civil lawsuit filed by Leonard Hector Korpie, now 28, in Santa Monica Superior Court on Friday seeks unspecified economic, non-economic and punitive damages for lost wages, ruined reputation, emotional harm, mental distress and humiliation.
The suit claims that Santa Monica police and the LA County District Attorney's office pursued the case despite evidence -- including "video footage and multiple witnesses" -- that Korpie was "physically assaulted" by the bar manager of Jameson's pub and acted in self defense.
"Based on information and belief, the attacker, Jaysent Clark, died of natural phenomena," according to the lawsuit.
The suit alleges that the City and police officials made false statements to the public and news outlets concerning the incident.
The initial press release issued by Santa Monica police reported that at around midnight on June 12, 2024 a fight broke out outside Jameson's pub after the manager, Jaysent Clark, 50, asked several patrons to leave.
"Out on the street, one of the patrons punched the manager, causing him to lose consciousness," Police officials said at the time. "When the officers arrived on scene, the manager was not breathing. Officers administered CPR until the Santa Monica Fire Department arrived and took over lifesaving measures."
The victim was transported to a local hospital and died of his injuries. The three patrons involved in the incident were initially arrested and booked at the Santa Monica Jail, where Korpie was held on $2 million bail, according to police.
The lawsuit quotes a statement attributed to Lt. Erika Aklufi, then the Police Department spokesperson, that "a single punch was thrown. The victim likely hit his head on the way down to the ground, and it was those things that ended up leading to his death.
"This is one of those tragic examples of how when alcohol is involved in an incident, something that could be very minor ends up turning into a life-changing event that is affecting many lives.”
Korpie's attorney, Adam M. Koppekin, has said that the County Medical Examiner found Clark's death was "the result of a cardiac arrhythmia due to the effects of an altercation, which induced a dysfunction on a heart affected by the chronic effects of atherosclerosis."
Koppekin called the incident "a tragedy at all levels."
In September 2024, LA County Superior Court Judge Kathryn Solorzano determined that Korpie should stand trial for voluntary manslaughter.
But one year later, on September 8, 2025, the murder case was dismissed after prosecutors announced they were unable to proceed.
As of May 2026, the case was sealed and the arrest expunged from Plaintiff’s record by the Court, according to the lawsuit.
Superior Court Judge Bradley S. Phillips has scheduled a case management conference for February 26, 2027.