Ed Buck appears in court with bail set at $4M for running a drug den

Notorious West Hollywood Democrat donor Ed Buck is set to face federal homicide charges after two men died of methamphetamine overdoses in his apartment, law enforcement sources said Thursday. 

The Hillary Clinton donor appeared in a Los Angeles court today wearing an anti-suicide smock and faces charges filed by the LA District Attorney of battery causing serious injury, administering methamphetamine and maintaining a drug house after a third man narrowly avoided death overdosing in Buck’s apartment earlier this month.

Local justice campaigner Jasmyne Cannick, who uncovered new evidence in the case and has pushed for charges to be brought against Buck for years, claims law enforcement sources say the West Hollywood donor will also face face homicide charges after his arraignment.

A spokesman for the FBI confirmed to DailyMail.com that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is handling a federal case against Buck, though the DEA itself did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Ed Buck, 65, appeared in court wearing an anti-suicide smock Thursday in Los Angeles and his bail was set at $4million

He was arrested on Tuesday after a third man narrowly escaped death when he overdosed in his West Hollywood apartment last week

The Democratic donor was charged with battery causing serious injury, administering methamphetamine and maintaining a drug house

The Democratic donor was charged with battery causing serious injury, administering methamphetamine and maintaining a drug house

Buck is seen hiding his face in the back of a police cruiser after he was arrested at his West Hollywood home on Tuesday evening

Buck is seen hiding his face in the back of a police cruiser after he was arrested at his West Hollywood home on Tuesday evening

Buck’s bail documents reveal that he is officially a suspect in the deaths of two men, Gemmel Moore, 26, and Timothy Dean, a-55-year-old gay porn actor, in his apartment from crystal meth overdoses.

The donor, who has contributed almost $1million to both local Democrats and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, was arrested on Tuesday after a third 36-year-old man overdosed in his apartment, narrowly escaping death.

Cannick led a campaign claiming local police and the DA failed to prosecute Buck because of racial bias as his alleged victims were vulnerable black men. She helped victim Moore’s family launch a lawsuit against both Buck and DA Jackie Lacey.

‘This is a victory for our community because it says our lives matter. Black queer lives matter,’ Cannick told DailyMail.com. ‘I’m really happy for the families. They’re ecstatic. It just goes to show perseverance and persistence pays off. It’s been two years now.

‘It shows even with someone like Ed Buck, a white Democrat who somehow has money and privilege, if we just keep screaming long enough, we can get justice.

‘Jackie Lacey refused to prosecute Ed Buck for the death of Gemmel Moore last July, and here we are today, finally, and he is going to be prosecuted. 

‘I’m happy that he is being moved into federal custody and that this case is not going to be tried by her office.’

Buck is allegedly 'a violent, dangerous sexual predator' who offered drugs, money and shelter to mainly addicted and homeless men in exchange for participating in sexual fetishes, including administering dangerous drug doses. He is seen above with Hillary Clinton in 2015

Buck is allegedly ‘a violent, dangerous sexual predator’ who offered drugs, money and shelter to mainly addicted and homeless men in exchange for participating in sexual fetishes, including administering dangerous drug doses. He is seen above with Hillary Clinton in 2015

Gemmel Moore, 26, was found dead of a methamphetamine overdose in Buck's West Hollywood apartment in July 2017, after the donor paid him to fly from Texas to meet him

Another black man, Buck’s local friend Timothy Dean, 55, was also found dead there from the same cause 18 months later, causing outrage in the Hollywood community and prompting protests calling for his arrest

Gemmel Moore, 26, (left) was found dead of a methamphetamine overdose in July 2017 and Timothy Dean, 55, (right) was also found dead of an overdose at Buck’s apartment 18 months later

The Los Angeles District Attorney wrote in a memo to a judge requesting $4million bail that Buck is ‘a violent, dangerous sexual predator’ and his ‘aggressive and malevolent behavior led to the death of two men in Buck’s apartment.’

The memo confirms that buck ‘is not only facing the current filed charges, but he is also still a suspect in the deaths of Gemmel Moore and Timothy Dean,’ while his arrest warrant is signed by an officer in the LAPD’s homicide squad.

In the scathing bail memo, the prosecutor wrote that the Democrat donor ‘manipulates his victims into participating in his sexual fetishes’, which include ‘supplying and personally administering dangerously large doses of narcotics to his victims.’

‘Not deterred by the senseless deaths of Moore and Dean,’ the memo claims, ‘the defendant nearly killed a third victim last week.

‘The defendant’s predatory acts and conscious disregard for human life must be stopped.’ 

Buck was set to be arraigned Thursday but the judge, Francis Bennett II, delayed the case until October 11. Bail was agreed at $4 million.

Federal agencies are yet to file charges over the alleged homicide case against the wealthy donor. 

In a photo obtained by DailyMail.com, Buck smokes meth with a painfully thin, drug-addicted homeless young black man in his apartment - a partner he had found on the street and offered $300 to carry out his bizarre 'fetish' requests. Buck ordered the man to wear dirty white long johns and black leather 'f***ing boots'

In a photo obtained by DailyMail.com, Buck smokes meth with a painfully thin, drug-addicted homeless young black man in his apartment – a partner he had found on the street and offered $300 to carry out his bizarre ‘fetish’ requests. Buck ordered the man to wear dirty white long johns and black leather ‘f***ing boots’

Buck was visited by a young black man at his West Hollywood apartment earlier this month. It is unclear if the man pictured is the same individual who suffered an overdose at his apartment last Wednesday

Buck was visited by a young black man at his West Hollywood apartment earlier this month. It is unclear if the man pictured is the same individual who suffered an overdose at his apartment last Wednesday

Prosecutors allege Buck provided the meth that killed two men who were found in his apartment in 2017 and this January

Prosecutors allege Buck provided the meth that killed two men who were found in his apartment in 2017 and this January

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were spotted outside Buck's apartment building on Wednesday following his arrest the day prior

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were spotted outside Buck's apartment building on Wednesday following his arrest the day prior

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were spotted outside Buck’s apartment building on Wednesday following his arrest the day prior

Authorities allege that Buck personally injected drugs into a man who survived an overdose this month.

The alleged victim entered Buck’s apartment and the donor ‘personally and deliberately’ administered a large dose of methamphetamine, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Prosecutors say that the man grew concerned that he was given an exceedingly high dosage, and left.

The man is alleged to have returned to Buck’s apartment a week later on September 11.

Authorities allege that Buck again gave the man ‘two dangerously large’ doses of methamphetamine, resulting in an overdose.

Prosecutors allege Buck thwarted the man’s attempts to get help, but he managed to escape to a nearby gas station, where he called for help. 

The man was rushed to hospital and treated. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk