The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday urged a state appellate court to overturn a Superior Court ruling that allowed a man accused of a violent, racially charged assault in Santa Monica to enter a mental health diversion program instead of standing trial.
Prosecutors argued that granting diversion to 27-year-old Job Uriah Taylor, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, poses a significant threat to public safety.
Deputy district attorneys told the court that Taylor’s mental disorder manifests in “extreme violence,” and that when off medication he has specifically targeted Black individuals. They contended that state diversion law bars its use in cases involving violent conduct, pointing to the severe brain injury suffered by 64-year-old Christian Hornburg in the March 2023 attack.
“This was not a locked facility, and the very nature of this crime underscores the danger he poses to the public,” prosecutors argued, noting Taylor had been released from a psychiatric hospital shortly before the incident.
Defense attorneys countered that the appellate court should deny the prosecution’s request, stressing that Los Angeles Superior Court judges regularly weigh evidence and make legally sound determinations in diversion cases. They said Judge Lana Kim’s March ruling was supported by substantial evidence.
“This is not a unique case,” defense counsel said. “The trial court carefully considered the evidence and applied the law as written.”
Presiding Justice Frances Rothschild and Justice Elizabeth Grimes pressed both sides on the limits of judicial discretion. Justice Laurie Zelon Benson pointed out that the trial court never explicitly found Taylor would not be a risk to public safety, remarking, “The court said you cannot predict the future. That’s troubling.”
Benson also questioned why Taylor’s medical records were not turned over to prosecutors during trial, despite repeated requests. “That’s unusual,” she said.
The justices highlighted concerns about Taylor’s history of refusing medication, with Benson noting, “The violence that brings us here today involved your client being off his meds. That’s not irrelevant.”
During oral arguments, the DA’s office disclosed that Taylor engaged in violent behavior toward cellmates even while he was in custody and receiving treatment
Defense attorneys responded that Taylor had asked to remain hospitalized before the episode, suggesting systemic shortcomings contributed to his release.
The appellate panel will now weigh whether Judge Kim’s ruling aligned with the limits of California’s mental health diversion statute, which allows defendants to avoid criminal conviction if they complete court-approved treatment plans.
The case has drawn intense scrutiny because of the seriousness of the attack. Hornburg, who was left permanently disabled, now lives in a long-term care facility and has publicly criticized the court system for sidelining victims’ voices.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman has called the diversion decision “a miscarriage of justice.” A ruling from the appellate court could set important precedent for how judges across Los Angeles apply diversion in cases involving violent offenders.
Published in partnership with the Westside Current.