Ed Buck settles lawsuit with overdose victim’s family

Ed Buck, a former Democratic donor and political figure in West Hollywood, recently reached a settlement with the family of Gemmel Moore, one of two men who died of drug overdoses in Buck’s apartment. The settlement, announced Thursday for an undisclosed amount, comes shortly before a trial that was scheduled for next week in Los Angeles.

Gemmel Moore’s mother, LaTisha Nixon, has sought accountability for her son’s death since 2017, when Moore was found dead in Buck’s apartment following a drug overdose. In a statement, the family’s attorney, Nana Gyamfi, noted Nixon’s relief that a resolution had been reached. “This settlement acknowledges the painful reality of Gemmel’s death, even though no amount of money can replace her son,” Gyamfi said.

The lawsuit highlighted that Buck had invited Moore, 26, to fly from Texas to Los Angeles in June 2017, offering to cover travel expenses. Moore, who had been living with his mother and siblings, was found dead just hours after arriving at Buck’s West Hollywood residence. An autopsy report detailed the apartment as cluttered with drug-related items, including syringes, pipes, and various substances. Moore’s family alleged that Buck had manipulated and coerced Moore into using drugs, often against his will, and that these dangerous practices had ultimately led to Moore’s overdose.

Buck, now serving a 30-year federal prison sentence, was convicted in 2022 for providing deadly doses of methamphetamine to both Moore and Timothy Dean, another man who died under similar circumstances in 2019. During his criminal trial, prosecutors presented evidence of Buck’s behavior, which they described as a systematic pattern involving vulnerable men, often individuals struggling with addiction or homelessness, whom Buck allegedly exploited through “party-and-play” scenarios. According to the trial evidence, Buck would inject or encourage his guests to consume large amounts of methamphetamine while he recorded these encounters on video.

Federal prosecutors revealed that only a fraction of the videos Buck had saved were shown during the trial, describing his apartment as a setting for “ritualistic” drug use sessions. Prosecutors argued that Buck actively pressured his guests to take excessive amounts of drugs, knowing the risks involved. At his sentencing, Buck expressed regret but denied direct responsibility for the deaths, calling them “tragic” but claiming, “I did not cause them.”

Originally from Ohio, Buck built his wealth through various ventures, allowing him to retire young and relocate to West Hollywood in 1991. Over the years, he became a fixture in city politics, frequently speaking at City Council meetings and advocating for policies, including the ban on fur sales in West Hollywood. Despite his influence, Buck’s 2007 attempt to join the council was unsuccessful. He nonetheless gained prominence as a significant donor to Democratic campaigns, contributing more than $500,000 to various candidates, including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Gavin Newsom, from 2008 to 2017.

Buck has admitted that he developed a methamphetamine addiction after initially being prescribed amphetamines for narcolepsy in his mid-40s. Witnesses at his trial described his actions as those of a predator who manipulated men into dangerous situations under the promise of money, housing, or drugs.

Though this settlement concludes one part of the long legal saga, the broader impact of Buck’s case continues to reverberate. His sentencing and the subsequent legal battles have brought attention to the vulnerabilities faced by marginalized communities and the responsibilities of individuals in positions of power and influence.