Democratic Donor Ed Buck Hit With Second Wrongful Death Suit
On the anniversary of his death, Timothy Dean’s family filed a civil lawsuit against Ed Buck, the white Democratic donor, who allegedly caused his overdose.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the suit, filed by Joyce Jackson and Joanne Campbell, alleges that Buck “had a predatory and injurious system of soliciting black gay men and watching them cling to life while battling symptoms of methamphetamine toxicity after he intravenously administered large doses of the drug to them.”
Dean, 55, was found dead of a drug overdose inside Buck’s West Hollywood home on Jan. 7, 2019.
He was the second Black man in less than two years that died of an overdose at Buck’s home, after Gemmel Moore, who was found dead in the 65-year-old man’s home in July 2017.
The Times reports the lawsuit accuses Buck of sexual battery, assault, hate violence, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress as well as other crimes.
Moore’s family filed a separate civil lawsuit last year, also naming L.A. County and District Attorney Jackie Lacey, which is still ongoing.
According to prosecutors, Buck preyed on vulnerable gay Black men who were homeless, addicted to drugs or working as escorts.
The longtime donor to the Democratic Party allegedly lured them to his Laurel Avenue apartment, where he manipulated them into doing drugs for his sexual gratification, the Times reports.
RELATED: Ed Buck, Democratic Donor Accused Of Preying On Black Gay Men, Charged With Operating Drug Den
“The issue of sexual violence has become very salient thanks to the #MeToo movement, but one of the failures of the movement is that really only wealthy, white women are trusted when they come forward with allegations,” said Attorney Hussain Turk, who is representing the families of Dean and Moore, the Times reports. “Had the victims in this case been white or wealthy, then we firmly believe that the claims would have been taken much more seriously.”
Buck’s attorney, Seymour Amster, told the Times that he was not aware that a civil lawsuit had been filed and he did not have an immediate comment.
Turk told the Times, “The goal is holding not only Ed Buck to account, but also the county and the leaders who are supposed to be protecting everyone in Los Angeles.”
BET has reached out to Turk’s office for comment.
