Ed Buck: Second man discovered dead in home of prominent Democratic donor

Victim was 'an old friend who died of an accidental overdose', says Ed Buck's lawyer

A man has been found dead at the home of a prominent Democratic fundraiser in the second such incident within 18 months.

His body was found at the West Hollywood home of Ed Buck.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that officers were called out in the early hours of Monday morning to reports about a “person not breathing”.

It said that “the informant performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)” and called police.

It added: “Los Angeles County Fire responded to the location and pronounced a male adult deceased. The cause of death is unknown at this time and will be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Office.”

The dead man’s name was not released.

Mr Buck’s lawyer, Seymour Amster, told the Los Angeles Times that the man was “an old friend who died of an accidental overdose and, unfortunately, we believe that the substance was ingested at some place other than the apartment”.

The Sheriff’s Department said it was probing the death and planned a “secondary review” of the previous incident, in which 26-year-old Gemmel Moore, a gay escort, was found dead of a drug overdose in Mr Buck’s flat in July 2017.

“Investigators are conducting a thorough investigation, which includes follow up interviews and a secondary review,” it said. “As with the previous incident, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office was intimately involved in reviewing the facts of the case, and will be so in this case as well.”

No charges were brought against Mr Buck after Moore’s death. A coroner originally ruled that the death was an accident.

News of the latest death nonetheless sparked protests near Mr Buck’s apartment.

One demonstrator repeatedly shouted: “Black boys are dying here.” Both deceased men were reportedly black, while Mr Buck is white.

The 64-years is a prominent figure in Los Angeles’ LGBT political arena, according to the LA Times, while NBC News reported that he has donated more than $50,000 to Democratic causes since 2008.

Mr Buck also made headlines in 2010 when he disrupted a campaign event for Meg Whitman, a Republican candidate for California governor, leading to a confrontation with New Jersey governor Chris Christie.

In a statement, the Los Angeles LGBT Centre advocacy group said: “Although the investigation is in its early stages, we urge [police] to keep the public fully informed as LGBT people have a considerable and urgent interest in a case that is so clearly linked to the health and safety of our community.

“The reports we have heard provide more questions than answers.”

It added: “LGBT people and other marginalized groups are at elevated risk for impacts that result from the current epidemic uses of opioids, methamphetamine, and other dangerous drugs.”