By Enola Gueta
LOS ANGELES, CA. — In a press release issued this week by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office, the woman convicted of murdering Micheal Latt, a Los Angeles-based entertainment consultant and criminal justice advocate, has been sentenced to 35 years to life in state prison.
Latt was killed in his own home in November of 2023; the DA statement added Jameelah Michl’s reason for targeting Latt, in particular, was Latt’s friendship with a woman Michl had been stalking.
According to the DA, Michl is being sentenced for shooting and killing with a semi-automatic handgun and “forcing herself into the residence.” The case, as clarified in the release, was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.
The release states that Michl entered a plea in June, pleading guilty to “one count of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree burglary,” also admitting to the courts the use of the gun. The superior court judge overseeing the case was Kerry White.
The death of Latt, someone who actively worked to “champion equality, justice and equity within the criminal legal system,” as noted by Los Angeles District Attorney Gascón, is not only a massive loss for Latt’s family but for the Los Angeles community.
Gascón described the sentencing as a “closure” moment, noting Latt’s “indelible mark” on the criminal justice system. In his statement, the DA said, Latt’s “legacy will continue to inspire us to strive for a more just and inclusive society.”
Michl’s public defender said, “At the time of the shooting she had been homeless on the streets of Los Angeles for nine months and struggling with multiple traumatic events. She is deeply saddened by the tremendous amount of pain she has caused to so many and hopes that her change in plea will help everyone to be able to heal and move forward.”
