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The L.A. County DA says the Democratic donor continued to drug and abuse vulnerable men of color, even after two died in his home.
Political activist, failed politician, and longtime Democratic donor Ed Buck is finally in jail after two Black men overdosed in his home and a third man nearly died earlier this month, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney.
DA Jackie Lacey says Buck, as part of a sexual fetish, was drugging men to near death even after Gemmel Moore, 26, died in Buck's West Hollywood apartment in July 2017 and Timothy Dean, 55, died there in January of this year. After Lacey failed to arrest Buck following Moore's death, activists like Jasmyne Cannick warned more men would die -- which came to pass with Dean. But even Dean's death didn't deter Buck, according to Lacey, who says Buck nearly killed a third person, twice injecting a 37-year-old man with methamphetamine until he nearly overdosed each time. The last overdose occurred September 11, according to prosecutors.
Buck was arrested on Tuesday night at his apartment. He's charged with one count each of battery causing serious injury, administering methamphetamine and maintaining a drug house, according to the Los Angeles Times. If convicted, Buck could face nearly six years in prison. His arraignment is Wednesday, with bail set at $4 million.
"From his home, in a position of power, Buck manipulates his victims into participating in his sexual fetishes," prosecutors allege in court papers. "These fetishes include supplying and personally administering dangerously large doses of narcotics to his victims.... Not deterred by the senseless deaths of Moore and Dean, the defendant nearly killed a third victim last week."
Buck is also facing a civil lawsuit from Moore's mother, LaTisha Nixon, who says Buck flew her son to California, provided him with drugs, and injected them into him, causing his death. Moore stated in a diary found after his death that Buck was indeed giving him drugs and shooting him up.
Buck is a longtime political donor and local activist, who unsuccessfully ran for West Hollywood City Council in 2007. Most Democrats who he's given money to have since returned his donations.
