From People v. Superior Court (Taylor), decided two weeks ago by the California Court of Appeal (Justice Frances Rothschild, joined by Justices Helen Bendix and Michelle Kim):
Penal Code section 1001.36 authorizes a court to grant pretrial diversion to a defendant with a qualifying mental disorder who agrees to comply with mental health treatment and will not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety "if treated in the community." … Impliedly finding Taylor would not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety if treated in a community facility, the trial court granted diversion….
The People allege that on the morning of March 3, 2023, [Job Uriah] Taylor, age 25, went on a violent, racially motivated rampage targeting multiple victims in Santa Monica. Taylor approached Christian Hornburg, who is Black, from behind and clubbed him over the head with a metal pipe and then stomped his head while he was on the ground, helpless. Duane Ziegler, a witness who attempted to protect Hornburg, heard Taylor say he was there to "kill that nigger."
When Jade Carter, who is also Black, tried to intervene, Taylor attacked her with the pipe and hurled racial slurs.
Footage from a police body camera showed Taylor continued his racist rant until he was arrested. Both Hornburg and Carter were transported to the hospital. Hornburg sustained life-altering injuries.
Police learned that earlier that morning, Taylor threatened Michael Okyere, who is Black, with the metal pipe and shouted racial slurs at him. Nearby firefighters intervened and chased him away….
