The family of a man who died inside the West Hollywood apartment of Democratic Party donor Ed Buck filed a wrongful-death lawsuit Tuesday.
Gemmel Moore, 26, died from an overdose of crystal methamphetamine in 2017, and his mother LaTisha Nixon told NBC4 that she was frustrated authorities had failed to file criminal charges for her sons death. "I just think they don't care," Nixon said of the prosecutors and detectives.
The case filed in LA Superior Court Tuesday names the donor, Ed Buck, DA Jackie Lacey, and Deputy District Attorney Craig Hum as defendants, and 'alleges wrongful death, sexual battery, hate violence, drug dealer liability, negligence, infliction of emotional distress, and two violations of civil rights.' The case also accused Buck of personally administering the drug that killed Moore.
"Mr. Buck injected Mr. Moore with a lethal dose of crystal methamphetamine," the case said." We'll fight the allegations vigorously," said Buck's attorney Seymour Amster. "We haven't seen the lawsuit, but we've done our investigation and there's more to the story than is being told. If necessary, we'll tell the full story in a court of law."
Moore's death was initially classified as an accidental overdose.
In January, another man, 55-year-old Timothy Dean, died in Buck's apartment under similar circumstances.
Nixon's attorneys said they suspect no charges have been filed against Buck because of the race and sexual preference of Dean and Moore.
"It has a lot to do with Gemmel and Timothy and the fact that they were black," one of the attorneys said.