Dear Mayor Duran and West Hollywood City Councilmembers,
The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach was both saddened and deeply concerned to learn about the January 7, 2019 death of Timothy Dean at the residence of Ed Buck.
As this is the second death attributed to controlled substances to occur at Mr. Buck’s residence in less than two years, this raises serious concerns for the LGBTQ community as it relates to our public health and safety.
The Center strongly encourages West Hollywood City Council to exercise oversight to the fullest extent of the law as it relates to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s investigation into Mr. Dean’s passing. Further, we encourage West Hollywood’s leadership to ensure the LGBTQ community is regularly informed of updates related to their overall safety in the community of West Hollywood in light of the serious allegations noted in the media after the death of Gemmel Moore in 2017 at Mr. Buck’s residence.
The Center has a vested interest in ensuring the health, safety, and equity of all members of the LGBTQ community throughout Southern California, including the City of West Hollywood. It is our hope that the West Hollywood City Council will ensure to the fullest extent of the law that justice is served in the above mentioned matter.
Porter Gilberg Executive Director