Charlotte Pleytez and Lombardo Palacios were released after serving more than 17 years in prison for the murder they did not commit, the DA’s Office said.

Pleytez, who was 15 years old at the time of the arrest, was pressured into making false confession, according to District Attorney George Gascon.

Pleytez and Palacios were sentenced to 50 years to life in prison after they were convicted of murdering Hector Flores and shooting and injuring his fiancée.

While the sisters of Jose and Kitty Menendez believe their nephews, Lyle and Erik, shot and killed their own parents out of fear of their father, Kitty’s brother has taken the entirely opposite stance on the issue.

Milton Andersen, Kitty Menendez’s 90-year-old brother, said through an attorney that his nephews’ “cold-blooded actions shattered their family.”

“Mr. Anderson believes that the reason that his nephews murdered Kitty and her husband was because of greed,” said Kathy Cady, Andersen’s attorney, adding that the brothers had learned that their father, Jose, was planning to take them out of the will. 

“He prefers that (the Menendez brothers) stay in prison because he believes that’s what justice requires,” Cady said. 

Andersen’s sister, Joan Andersen VanderMolen, was among a dozen people who gathered in downtown Los Angeles Wednesday to hold a news conference, expressing support for their release from prison.

Crime and Courts Oct 15

Family of Lyle and Erik Menendez plead for brothers' release from prison

Crime and Courts Oct 16

Decision on Menendez brothers' case expected in about 10 days, DA says

On the controversial question over whether the Menendez brothers were sexually molested by their father, Milton Andersen also sided with previous prosecutors’ opinion that rape never happened.

Les Zoeller, the Beverly Hill Police Department detective who investigated Jose and Kitty’s murders, also said previously that there was no evidence of rape and sexual molestation.

“It is a big fairy tale,” Zoeller, who died in 2021, told NBC Los Angeles in 2017. “They murdered the best witnesses we had.”

The Menendez brothers’ uncle also blasted Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, saying the decision to consider the possible release of the brothers from prison is politically motivated. 

“(Gascón) is certainly concerned that it’s not about justice,” Cady said. “This case is in a court of law. It’s not in a court of public opinion.”

Cady claimed previous Los Angeles district attorneys, including “the previously assigned prosecutor” kept Andersen up to date with any developments on the Menendez case until Gascón took office.

“To hear about what’s going on in your sister’s murder case, essentially from the media, is really inappropriate. and it lacks complete and utter respect for victims’ rights,” Andersen’s attorney said. 

Gascón said Wednesday a decision on the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez could be coming “within the next 10 days or so.”

A new hearing is scheduled for Nov. 26.

“Mr. Andersen is now 90 years old. He’s lived through many, many years without his sister. And he certainly deserves that whatever decision is made that it be done for the right reasons,” Andersen’s attorney said. 

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One of the accomplishments he touted is his crackdown on employers who committed wage theft.

“We now have 325 workers that were given over $3 million back,” Gascón said during his interview on NBC Los Angeles’ NewsConference, adding his office has also gone after environmental crimes and rigorously yet “thoughtfully” pursued police accountability.

While Gascón is well aware of the criticism that he may be soft on crime and that his policies may have led to Angelenos feeling unsafe, the District Attorney appeared to blame the COVID-19 pandemic for the sentiment as FBI statistics show violent crime and homicide rates decreased in 2023 and early 2024.

“We went through a horrible period of time during the pandemic. I think it had a tremendous impact on, not only in the criminal legal system, but it had a tremendous social displacement,” Gascón said. “While things are starting to come down, we’re still living with a residual of two years of very, very tough times.”

Decision 2024 Oct 6

Nathan Hochman says he rejects Gascón's ‘extreme policies'  

Decision 2024 Sep 30

Poll: Nathan Hochman leads George Gascón in Los Angeles district attorney race 

The district attorney for one of the largest counties in the nation also insisted that his office has been prosecuting aggressively when necessary but with a “thoughtful” approach to avoid wrongful convictions.

“If it’s appropriate, we’ll go after (murder convicts) for life without the possibility of parole. What we are doing is when we’re alleging enhancements, we are being much more thoughtful, but we’re doing so when it’s appropriate,” Gascón explained. 

He also defended his progressive reforms he implemented, including policies that aim to end mass incarceration.

“We are prosecuting cases aggressively. We’re sending people to prison aggressively when they need to be. But we’re also trying to ensure that when people are being convicted because they deserve to be convicted,” he said.

Gascón also said his progressive mission to reform Los Angeles County’s criminal justice system needs more than one term.

“You cannot reform an entire process that’s been broken for so many years over a four-year period of time, the DA said. “It would be an honor if I had (voters’) support, but I understand this is a democracy, and people have a right to elect who they choose.”

Cristian Perez Latorre, 53, was arrested Thursday by D.A.’s Office investigators, and he was released Friday on $150,000 bond, according to prosecutors and jail records.

Prosecutors said that on July 13, 2021, Latorre performed “an unlicensed cosmetic surgery” on a woman. Ten days later, he treated the woman for infections that developed due to the surgery.

On Aug. 13, 2021, he treated the woman again for additional surgical complications, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

He was charged with one count of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of battery with serious injury and six counts of practicing medicine without a certification.

“When an individual masquerades as a doctor and performs medical procedures without a license, it not only endangers lives but also erodes the essential trust between patients and legitimate healthcare providers,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. “This act of deception threatens the integrity of our healthcare system and the confidence that the community has in those dedicated to their well-being. We are committed to seeking justice for the victim, holding Mr. Latorre accountable and restoring the trust that has been so grievously violated.”

According to prosecutors, Latorre could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted as charged. Latorre’s Instagram page — which has more than 20,000 followers — describes him as a “plastic surgeon board certified,” specializing in facials.

What appears to be his LinkedIn page claims he has a medical degree from the University of Buenos Aires.

Karyn Lombardo was found dead in her Burbank home Tuesday with her son being named the suspect in the murder. The 57-year-old teacher lived with her husband and son.

A family member at the court hearing said Kyle struggled with mental health and that his mother loved him dearly.

Kyle’s Attorney, Jimmy Chu, echoed the family member and said the tragedy resulted from an altercation gone wrong.

“This tragedy is a result of an accident following an altercation between a son and a mother, who my client deeply loved,” said Chu. “My office and I are investigating all aspects, including potential mental health factors and intellectual developmental disability.”

Burbank Police confirmed that the woman died after an altercation with her son, but what led to the death of the kindergarten teacher is still not known.

Kyle’s bail was set to $2 million, and his arraignment is scheduled for May 22 at the Pasadena Courthouse.

The Burbank Unified School District said Karyn taught in Burbank for over three decades, holding various teaching roles, including being a bilingual teacher.

“Over the course of her highly accomplished career, Ms. Lombardo touched the lives of thousands of students, parents and colleagues, who will be mourning this loss in the days to come,” Burbank Unified Superintendent John Paramo said in an email. “Her dedication, warmth and passion for teaching touched many students and colleagues’ lives. Her profound impact and loss on this community will be deeply felt throughout the City of Burbank.”

Ronald Velasquez Jr. and Abraham Villalobos were convicted in 2001 for the shooting death of Michael Roybal, who was shot as he opened the door of an apartment he was visiting on Deming Street in Downey, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Despite initially saying she could not see the perpetrators, a witness to the shooting positively identified Velasquez and Villalobos during the trial. Velasquez was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 50 years to life in prison. Villalobos was convicted of second-degree murder as an abettor of the crime, and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

Villalobos was paroled in 2015, but according to the Loyola Law School’s Project for the Innocent, he was immediately deported to Mexico and has been unable to return to see his family in Los Angeles.

According to prosecutors, Velasquez filed a conviction review request with the District Attorney’s Office in 2021, and new evidence pointed to a man named Sergio Torres as the gunman. Torres was killed in a drive-by shooting in October 2001, prosecutors said.

In court Wednesday, Velasquez and Villalobos were both declared factually innocent, and Velasquez was released from custody.

“Our commitment to seeking the truth is unwavering,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. “The exoneration of these two men serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability within our own office and throughout the justice system.”

Velasquez’s attorney, John Hanusz, called the exoneration a long time coming.

“Ronald Velasquez Jr. and his family worked tirelessly for more than 20 years to demonstrate his innocence, and their pleas for justice fell on deaf ears — until today,” Hanusz said in a statement. “Mr. Velasquez Jr.’s exoneration also would not have been possible but for the pro bono work of private investigator Dana Orent.”

The field that lined up against the incumbent featured a mix of prosecutors and candidates who said they offer a more moderate approach to criminal justice reform.

As of Wednesday morning, Gascón held a lead with 21 percent of the vote. His closest challenger was Nathan Hochman, a former U.S. assistant attorney general who offered voters what he called a “blueprint for justice.”

Jonathan Hatami, who was hired as a deputy district attorney in 2006, had 13 percent of vote early Wednesday.

The top two candidates will advance to the November runoff with returns showing none of them had enough to win the primary outright with 50%-plus-one vote.. It was unclear how many countywide ballots from Tuesday’s election still need to be tallied, or how many were submitted by mail by Tuesday’s deadline but have not yet been received.

Click here for California primary results

Gascón was elected in 2020 over incumbent Jackie Lacey as he promised a wave of progressive changes. But he has been under fire since taking office by issuing a series of directives critics have blasted as being soft on crime.

The directives included a rule against seeking the death penalty, a ban on transferring juvenile defendants to adult court and prohibitions on filing sentencing enhancements in most cases.

“This campaign is not about me, this is a community movement,” Gascón said last November, when he kicked off his reelection campaign. “This is about looking at the criminal justice system of the 21st century not with a rear-view mirror but looking forward.”

Jonathan Hatami

Hatami, who was hired as a deputy D.A. in 2006, said he wants to restore public safety and make meaningful reforms in the office. “As your district attorney, I will prioritize public safety by implementing comprehensive strategies to protect all of our communities from danger, prevent crime, maintain peace, hold violent offenders accountable and establish a path to success for low-level offenders,” Hatami said on his campaign’s website.

Hatami also served in the nation’s first Complex Child Abuse unit at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles, according to his campaign. “I believe in reforms, rehabilitation and second chances,” Hatami said. “However, we must first and always follow the law. We must balance reforms with public safety and protecting our most vulnerable.” Hatami vows to “bring transparency back to the people’s office, hold wrongdoers accountable, and make real, meaningful reforms.”

Lloyd “Bobcat” Masson

Masson, another member of the D.A.’s office and a cold case prosecutor, portrays himself as a prosecutor, not a politician. According to his campaign, Masson is the only candidate in the race who has never been affiliated or registered with any political party. “Let’s take back our streets and start investing in our youth so we can end the cycles of trauma,” Masson said on his campaign’s website. “LA needs a strong D.A. to tell criminals that playtime is over.”

Masson said his top priority is “dropping the hammer” on all robbery, burglary and theft-related offenses, including follow-home robberies, car thefts, retail theft and catalytic converter thefts. “I would also end all blanket zero-bail policies and operate in accord with what local communities want,” Masson added. The prosecutor stated that sticking to old tough-on-crime tactics won’t solve the problem, just as the “current emphasis on no jail time has not worked.” He added: “We need every tool available to solve L.A.’s crime problem. To this end, we must explore solutions such as new technologies in rehabilitation and justice without sacrificing our victims’ voices in criminal cases.”

Masson has spent the past four years as a cold case prosecutor. Previously, he served in the gang unit for more than five years.

John McKinney

McKinney, a deputy district attorney for L.A. County for 25 years, has also criticized Gascón, saying the D.A. has taken the county too far to one side. “Since George Gascón took office, our justice system has become a dangerous experiment reducing consequences for crimes and eroding accountability,” McKinney said in a campaign ad. “Crime is up. Confidence in our justice system is down.” McKinney said he will restore common sense to the D.A.’s office and ensure victims receive justice. “I will support all communities while pursuing evidence-based reforms that make our system more just for all. On my watch, the punishment will always fit the crime — no more, no less,” McKinney said on his campaign’s website. “Whenever possible, we will focus on the source of crime, such as the leaders of organized crime rings, cartels, and drug operations.”

Maria Ramirez

Ramirez, head deputy D.A., joined the District Attorney’s Office in 1990 and became the first Latina to be promoted to that position, according to her campaign. Ramirez said voters have grown distrustful of Gascón’s leadership. “We, as leaders of the justice system in L.A. County, must begin to fix the deep erosion of public trust,” Ramirez said on her campaign’s website. “And that begins with recommitting to actually protecting the residents of Los Angeles County by ending the cycle of violence with appropriate and fair measures of justice.” In order to achieve any meaningful change, Ramirez said the D.A.’s office must collaborate with community leaders to develop effective crime prevention strategies in communities that have been “burdened with inadequate infrastructure, resources and services.” She added: “George Gascón got reform wrong by blindly implementing blanket policies that did not create sustainable change but rather endangered our communities. Gascón directed the release of a high number of violent offenders without ensuring a safety net for them with jobs and social services.” Ramirez said prosecutors must keep the community safe by restoring accountability and implementing responsible rehabilitation measures.

Eric Siddall

Siddall, a violent crime prosecutor and deputy D.A., is running on a platform of advocating for responsible reform while prioritizing public safety. He said he will lead a new generation of prosecutors to work with law enforcement to reduce crime. “We need to advance a violence reduction strategy focused on holding the most violent criminals accountable, while recognizing the potential for rehabilitation,” Siddall said on his campaign’s website. “We need to develop an infrastructure to deal with our mentally ill and homeless populations that does not involve cycled-incarceration, but also recognizes that releasing people back onto the street without a plan is a danger to everyone, including the defendant.” Siddall, who is an openly gay Latino, served for nearly a decade as vice president of the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys. Siddall and the deputy D.A.’s union has been among Gascón’s most prominent critics. They successfully sued to block a portion of Gascón’s reform platform limiting the use of sentencing enhancements against felons charged with new offenses after a judge agreed with the union’s contention that it violated California’s “three strikes” law. Siddall stepped down from the union post in order to declare his candidacy. He has been a deputy district attorney since 2007. Siddall vows to enact common sense criminal justice reforms, and focus on ones that are evidence-based.

Debra Archuleta

The two current L.A. County Superior Court judges, Archuleta and Mitchell, are eligible to run for office because they took a leave of absence without pay, Rob Oftring, the communications director of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, told City News Service. Archuleta was a trial lawyer before joining the bench six years ago and has handled more than 100 jury trials, according to her campaign. “For the last three years, George Gascón has implemented policies that have made communities across Los Angeles County more dangerous,” Archuleta said on her campaign’s website. “That needs to change, and it will only change with a District Attorney who has the experience to do the job and the ability to defeat George Gascón.” She said violent crime is the No. 1 issue facing L.A. County residents. “As your next District Attorney, I bring 26 years of experience of prosecuting cases involving violent crime, unlike George Gascón, who has never prosecuted a case in court,” Archuleta said. “Violent criminals will be prosecuted and punished, especially those who use guns and other deadly weapons. I will end the `catch and release’ policies of the current District Attorney.” Archuleta added that she will crack down on organized retail theft, also known as “smash-and-grab” robberies. “I will prosecute these criminals to the fullest extent of the law, departing from Gascón’s catch-and-release policies that enable these offenders to repeat their crimes without consequences,” Archuleta said.

Craig J. Mitchell

Mitchell was appointed to the L.A. County Superior Court in 2005. He has presided over numerous high-profile cases and has become known for his commitment to rehabilitation and restorative justice, according to his campaign. Prior to serving as a judge, Mitchell was an L.A. deputy D.A. for more than a decade. “Los Angeles is in crisis,” Mitchell said on his campaign’s website. “This crisis cannot be solved with a one-size-fits-all system of justice. I will put our citizens first.” Mitchell said public safety will be his top priority. “Public safety is simply not Gascón’s main priority — rather, it is to minimize the consequences criminals face for their conduct,” he added. “By adopting policies that are soft on crime and by filling upper management positions in his administration with attorneys from the Public Defender’s office, Gascón has effectively adopted the role of a second Public Defender. We need a District Attorney — not a Public Defender — to ensure the safety of the people.”

David S. Milton

Milton, a retired L.A. County Superior Court Judge who served on the bench from 1995 until 2014, is also running on a platform to reverse Gascón’s policies and institute new public protection policies. “For more than three years, we’ve seen violence against innocent victims escalate and law and order protection collapse in Los Angeles County,” Milton said on his campaign’s website. Milton said the root problem “is our current district attorney. He only investigates or brings charges after embarrassing media coverage and enormous public pressure.” He added that the “role of the district attorney is to protect the public without waiting for the media to force him to do his job.” One of his top priorities is prosecuting suspects behind “smash-and-grab” robberies. “If elected, I will hire more deputy district attorneys to handle the caseload, properly charge ‘Smash & Grab’ theft as robberies so the criminals go to prison and properly charge crimes by illegal alien criminals so they can be deported, as they should be.”

Jeff Chemerinsky

Chemerinsky, an assistant U.S. attorney who oversees federal prosecutions of violent crime cases in L.A., said voters have lost confidence in Gascón as both a prosecutor and reformer of the criminal justice system. On his campaign website, Chemerinsky said he wants to be a “voice for the working families of our community by prioritizing the prosecution of crimes that have an outsized impact on working people, such as environmental crime and wage theft.” Chemerinsky, who was appointed assistant U.S. Attorney in 2014, said his top priority is public safety. “(I will) prioritize the prosecution of gun crimes and firearm trafficking to keep our neighborhoods safe,’‘ Chemerinsky said. He added that he would use the role of D.A. to promote strong and sensible gun policies. Chemerinsky vows to prosecute “smash-and-grab” robberies to protect the public, workers and businesses. He stated that he’ll “ensure zero tolerance for public corruption,” and enhance the office’s civil rights prosecutions. Chemerinsky served as chief of the Violent and Organized Crime section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in L.A. until he stepped down in September to become a candidate.

Nathan Hochman

Hochman, a former U.S. assistant attorney general, is offering what he describes as a “blueprint for justice.” “I am shocked and disappointed at how our public safety has seriously worsened over the last three years under current D.A. George Gascón,” Hochman stated on his campaign website. “I am prepared to fight to restore it. My Blueprint for Justice outlines the changes I will make as your District Attorney to restore safety and justice to our county.”

Hochman said that under Gascón’s leadership, veteran prosecutors were stripped of their ability to file appropriate charges against violent, repeat offenders. As for part of his blueprint, Hochman vows to “restore the purpose of the District Attorney’s Office to fairly, effectively, and vigorously prosecute those who break laws in Los Angeles County based on the evidence and the law.” Hochman said he would also “restore the integrity and independence of the district attorney by not making decisions based on a party affiliation or political ideology but solely on the facts and the law.” His campaign points out that Hochman is running as an Independent. “I believe the D.A. needs to be fiercely independent and have encouraged all other candidates to do the same,” Hochman said.

Dan Kapelovitz

Kapelovitz, a criminal defense attorney, is the sole candidate aligning with Gascón’s more liberal stance. He said would continue battling mass incarceration and would propose stricter rules on when cases can be filed and bail can be requested. “We need well-funded programs — not more prisons,” Kapelovitz said on his campaign’s website. “I’m the only candidate who fights for indigent defendants every day. I’m also the only candidate appointed by the Court to protect the constitutional rights of crime victims who are often further victimized by the system.” He said he would ensure equal treatment for everyone and reject ‘racist policies’ that fuel mass incarceration. “People should not lose their homes and jobs because they cannot afford bail. We will not seek bail without clear and convincing evidence that the accused is dangerous,” he said.

Most of the challengers have said they will reverse the sweeping policy changes Gascón enacted on his first day in office. Gascón, despite all the criticism, was able to fend off two recall attempts. During a debate last
month with nine of the 11 challengers, Gascón defended his directives. “We have seen crime coming down not only in our community, but we’re seeing crime going down nationwide, at the same time that we have continued with the reform efforts,” Gascón said. “We’re showing that not only we cannot go back to the way that we did business, but actually the fact is our reforms are good for public safety.” If, as expected, no candidate receives a majority, the top two finishers will meet in a runoff Nov. 5, like all nonpartisan races on the primary ballot.

“Plaintiffs alleged Mr. Yu’s arrest and the seizure of Konnech’s property was without probable cause and a violation of Mr. Yu’s civil rights causing damage to Konnech’s business and Mr. Yu’s reputation,” county lawyers wrote to the Board of Supervisors in a letter urging approval of the settlement. 

The Supervisors voted to approve the settlement Tuesday without any public discussion.

Attorneys for Konnech and its owner, Eugene Yu, said they were happy for their client, and said his business was devastated as a result of the public accusations.

“The Los Angeles DA’s arrest of Mr. Yu based on utterly false charges — charges the DA dropped 5 weeks later — and the resulting publicity cost Mr. Yu his life savings and Konnech over 50 percent of its customers,” said Yu’s attorney, Dean Z. Pamphilis.

“Now, just four months after we sued on behalf of Mr. Yu and Konnech, Los Angeles County has agreed to settle the lawsuit, paying $5 million and agreeing to publicly proclaim Mr. Yu’s innocence,” he said in an email to NBCLA. 

“Mr. Yu is extremely pleased that his innocence has now been publicly confirmed, and he and Konnech look forward to start to recover from the significant losses which they suffered.”

The District Attorney’s Office said it would provide a response to the decision after the Supervisors voted, but one of the DA’s prosecutors, Eric Neff, appeared at the Supervisors’ meeting and spoke during a public comment session, urging the Board to reject the settlement.

“Lawyers who work for you and lawyers who’s budget you approve are trying to get you to approve a payout of County funds that may be a waste of money,” said Neff, who told the Board he was appearing in his personal capacity, not as a County employee.

He suggested the county had not fully investigated the circumstances of the alleged evidence against Yu and Konnech, and that it could have pursued other avenues to try to get the lawsuit dismissed without a payout.

“Have all the investigations into this matter been completed?,” Neff asked. “If so, have you read them in their entirety, has County Counsel? Are you aware of their findings? And if all internal investigations have not been completed, why is this agreement being proposed to you now? Does it have to do with George Gascón’s re-election campaign calendar?”

Yu was arrested on Oct. 4, 2022 as he left his home in Michigan.

LA District Attorney George Gascón announced at a news conference that Yu and his firm had criminally violated the terms of the company’s $2.6 million contract with LA County, under which the company provided election logistics software to voting officials. 

Gascón accused Yu and the company of conspiracy and embezzlement, by allegedly storing some data about poll workers on servers in China, rather than on servers in the U.S., but specified that there was no evidence voting or voter data had been stored offshore.

“We intend to hold all those responsible for this breach accountable,” Gascón told reporters. 

The charges against Yu were dropped the next month.

Yu’s lawsuit filed in 2023 alleged the entire prosecution had been misguided and without evidence, and made claims in court papers that the gist of the case mirrored a variety of debunked election conspiracy theories that suggested the Chinese government had a hand in manipulating votes in U.S. elections.

Despite the arrest and public accusations, LA County remains Konnech’s largest customer, Yu said in legal filings, “which only confirms the outrageousness of Defendants’ misconduct and the necessity to hold them accountable.”

LA County spent approximately $673,372 in legal fees on the case, according to the settlement memo. 

None of the Supervisors who voted to approve the settlement responded to requests for comment. 

The case, however, was referred to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for consideration of a possible misdemeanor case.

A City Attorney’s Office spokesman could not be immediately reached after business hours Tuesday to comment on whether that office has received or reviewed the case.

Urías, who became a free agent at the end of the 2023 season, was arrested Sept. 3 by Exposition Park police following a much-publicized soccer match between LAFC and Inter Miami — featuring star Lionel Messi — at BMO Stadium.

He was released the next morning on $50,000 bail.

According to a DA’s Office charge evaluation worksheet dated Tuesday, the alleged victim in the case was Urías’ wife, who was not identified.

“They engaged in an argument whereby the defendant pushed the victim against and fence and pulled her by the hair or shoulders,” according to the document. “Neither the victim’s injuries nor the defendant’s criminal history justify a felony filing.

The case is accordingly referred to the city attorney for misdemeanor filing consideration. “The 27-year-old Urías was placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball days after his arrest, and the Dodgers issued a statement
saying the team was cooperating fully with the investigation.

“The Dodgers take all allegations of the kind in this case very seriously, and we do not condone or excuse any acts of domestic violence,” the team said.

Urías was 11-8 during the 2023 season with a 4.60 earned-run average. He began his Major League career with the Dodgers in 2016, and has a lifetime record of 60-25 with a 3.11 ERA.

He was suspended for 20 games in 2019 by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for an incident in the parking lot of the Beverly Center on May 13 of that year.

In announcing the charge Thursday, LA County District Attorney George Gascón said Jameelah Michl forced herself inside Latt’s home Nov. 27 in the 900 block of Alandale Avenue. Officers received a report of a shooting in the home around 6 p.m. and found the victim injured.

Latt was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Michl allegedly targeted the activist for being friends with a woman who she had been stalking, prosecutors said. Details about the stalking allegations were not immediately available.

Michl is charged with one count of murder and one count of first-degree residential burglary with person present. If convicted as charged, Michl will face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Arraignment for Michl was continued until Dec. 15, 2023 and prosecutors are recommending Michl be held on a $3 million bail.

Latt was a film marketing consultant who worked on social justice campaigns through his deep ties to Hollywood. He founded Lead With Love, working on campaigns with the likes of filmmaker Ryan Coogler and musician-actor Common, according to his website.

The Chapman University graduate’s film marketing campaigns included one for Coogler’s “Fruitvale Station,” about the killing of Oscar Grant by police in Oakland.

Michelle Satter, Latt’s mother and the founding senior director of artists programs at the Sundance Institute, said on X that her son was devoted to his career.

“Our beloved son Michael Latt fell victim to a tragic act of violence this week,” Satter said on X. “Michael devoted his career to supporting artists, championing organizations that raised up artists of color, & leveraged storytelling for enduring change. We celebrate his legacy, love & compassion.”

The LA County District Attorney’s Office extended their condolences to the family and friends of Latt.

“Our hearts ache for the loss of a passionate advocate who believed in the principles of justice and equity within our criminal legal system,” District Attorney Gascón said. “It is devastating to see a life cut short, especially one dedicated to fighting for a more just society. This tragedy serves as a stark reminder that the pursuit of justice is a collective responsibility that we must all share.”