Sisters Of Man Who Died In Ed Buck's West Hollywood Home Sue

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA — Two sisters whose gay brother died in the West Hollywood apartment of Democratic donor Ed Buck last year have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against him.

Joyce Jackson and Joann Campbell allege in their Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that Buck injected 55-year-old Timothy Dean on Jan. 7, 2019, with a lethal dose of crystal methamphetamine. Their court papers describe Buck as a "wealthy white man who has a well-documented history of isolating black men for perverted sexual encounters ... in the confines of a drug den in his West Hollywood apartment."

Buck's attorney, Seymour Amster, did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the suit filed Tuesday, which also alleges sexual battery, assault, hate violence, drug dealer liability, premises liability and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

"Within hours of arriving at Mr. Buck's West Hollywood residence, Mr. Dean was dead," the suit states.

Several vials, syringes, and containers of narcotics were recovered from throughout Buck's residence, according to the lawsuit, which cites autopsy report findings.

The coroner's office concluded on March 25 that Dean's death was caused by an accidental methamphetamine overdose, according to the plaintiffs' court papers, which state that Buck has contributed more than $500,000 to the election campaigns and legal defense funds of numerous Los Angeles County and city government officials and candidates since 2008.

Another black man, Gemmel Moore, was found dead in Buck's apartment in July 2017.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has charged Buck, 65, with battery and operating a drug den. Buck also has been indicted on federal charges of supplying the drugs that led to the deaths of both Moore, 26, and Dean.

City News Service