LOS ANGELES, CA – An accused—suddenly hit by homelessness—missed court dates and faces losing diversion status, according to the accused’s deputy public defender at a hearing here last week at the Los Angeles County Airport Courthouse.
The DPD asked the court to reinstate diversion because of the now unhoused accused, but the judge refused.
The accused was charged with battery on March 3, 2022. He was then ordered to write a letter of apology to the victim, attend anger management classes, and stay away from the victim. The apology letter was approved by the judge and the anger management classes requirement was fulfilled, said the DPD.
But a warrant was then issued on Nov. 1, 2023 due to the accused missing his court dates. At the time the accused was experiencing homelessness and that is why he was not able to attend his court dates, argued his DPD.
But the judge ruled his reason for missing court was “[n]ot a good explanation.”
The diversion was set to expire on June 30, 2024, but then was terminated for a second time on Feb. 2, 2024. Regarding his warrant and reinstated diversions, the judge said the accused seemed to be “not taking this seriously.”
The accused’s counsel said since graduating high school the accused has a job as a security guard, has not been arrested again, and now has a fiancé.
The judge said he was willing to reconsider a restatement on the diversion and doing community service, but ultimately decided not to because the accused failed to appear to his past court dates.
