No Charges Against Political Donor Accused of Drugging Man to Death

Despite calls from the black and gay communities, prosecutors have declined to file charges against Democratic donor Ed Buck in connection with the fatal overdose of a 26-year-old sex worker in his West Hollywood home.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office issued a document Thursday that stated "admissible evidence is insufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that Buck was responsible for the death of Gemmel Moore in July 2017, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Buck is a longtime political donor who once ran for a seat on the West Hollywood City Council. His Facebook page has boasted dozens of photos of him with prominent Democrats, including former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, California Gov. Jerry Brown, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Moore had been homeless and was working as an escort.

Since Moore's death was classified as an accidental methamphetamine overdose, numerous young black gay men have alleged that Buck has a fetish for shooting drugs into youthful black men he picks up off the street or on hookup sites. Moore had written about Buck injecting him with dangerous drugs before his death.

"I've become addicted to drugs and the worst one at that," Moore wrote in his journal in December 2016. "Ed Buck is the one to thank. He gave me my first injection of crystal meth."

"I ended up back at Buck [sic] house again and got munipulated [sic] into slamming again. I even went to the point where I was forced to doing 4 within a 2day [sic] period. This man is crazy and its [sic] sad. Will I ever get help?" he continued.

The last entry in Moore's diary, dated December 3, 2016, is especially suspicious.

"If it didn't hurt so bad, I'd kill myself but I'll let Ed Buck do it for now," the deceased wrote.

In wake of Moore's death, Congresswoman Karen Bass returned the $250 she received from Buck and put it toward Moore's funeral expenses. West Hollywood Councilmember John D'Amico gave back the $25 contribution he received.

Homicide investigators on July 10 presented potential charges for Buck, including murder, voluntary manslaughter, and furnishing and possessing drugs. The District Attorney's office reviewed and rejected them all.

Buck's attorney Seymour Amster said his client had received a "complete exoneration." He told the Times, "Gemmel Moore's death was a tragedy. It's now clear that Ed Buck had nothing to do with it."