On November 30, Texas attorney general Ken Paxton (yes, the same one the left has been trying to oust for a long time, who recently was impeached but was acquitted on all charges) filed a lawsuit on behalf of the state of Texas against Pfizer for misrepresenting the performance of its COVID-19 vaccine by “false, deceptive, and misleading acts and practices in the course of trade and commerce.” The suit was covered in the Epoch Times and American Greatness . Here is a link to the actual 54-page suit , filed in district court in Lubbock County. I read it so you don’t have to (well, if you trust me).
For the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial, eligibility was limited to those who had not previously been infected with COVID-19. The trial counted how many in the vaccine group vs. placebo group caught symptomatic COVID-19 (with a positive test). When we talk about risk reduction for this trial, we mean in catching the virus as defined above due to being vaccinated.
Before proceeding, we need to review Efficacy 101. The math is not that complicated — in fact, it is rather intuitive, yet it is almost never spelled out to the public. Let V = the probability that someone Vaccinated catches symptomatic COVID-19; U = the probability someone Unvaccinated and given a placebo catches symptomatic COVID-19; and E = efficacy. (Technically, “efficacy” is the term used for results in a clinical trial, and “effectiveness” is the term used for results among the general public, but they are often used interchangeably.) Then
E = (U-V)/U.
The numerator, U-V, is the absolute risk reduction (ARR). E is the relative risk reduction (RRR) — that is, the risk reduction due to being vaccinated compared to being unvaccinated. We can also write the equation as E = 1 – V/U. Another measure is the number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one additional bad outcome — in this case, one additional patient with symptomatic COVID-19. NNT = ⌈1/ARR⌉, the ceiling of 1/ARR — that is, the least integer greater than or equal to 1/ARR.
Ideally, the public should be informed of all three: the RRR, the ARR, and the NNT. If the ARR is very small (see my previous article for an example of this), and thus the NNT is large, you might not want to risk vaccination even if the RRR is large. The suit accuses Pfizer of misrepresentation by presenting only the RRR and not also the ARR and NNT, contrary to FDA guidance.
In the clinical trial for the Pfizer vaccine, U = 0.009251 (162 out of 17,511; the suit unfortunately rounds this to 0.9%), and V = 0.000459 (8 out of 17,411; the suit unfortunately rounds this to 0.04%). In the suit, the use of rounded figures leads to some inaccuracy in the subsequently produced values (the above articles fail to mention this), so for transparency, I will use the more precise figures. Then ARR = U-V = 0.008792 (so just under 0.88%), NNT = 114, and E = 0.950334, which rounds to 95%. The news headlines touted the Pfizer vaccine as being “95% effective,” but using the ARR, the gain is less than 1%, and an NNT of 114 doesn’t sound very reassuring, either. (Don’t forget, too, that for this trial, U and V are not probabilities of death — just probabilities of catching symptomatic COVID-19.)
In addition, the suit accuses Pfizer of 1) relying on just two months of data, even less for some participants, giving a false impression of duration of protection; 2) a fear-mongering campaign through statements and advertising that left the impression that transmission would be halted when it wasn’t; 3) claiming that the vaccine was highly effective against variants like Delta when it wasn’t; 4) not counting those who become symptomatic until seven days following the second dose (without this restriction, in the trial, more of the vaccinated became symptomatic than the unvaccinated; this alone seems to negate entirely the merit of the vaccine); 5) misleading statements by Pfizer’s CEO about the vaccine ending the pandemic and offering lasting protection; and 6) promoting censorship of those not adopting the Pfizer narrative. (See the American Greatness link above for additional alleged serious misconduct not part of the Texas suit.)
The suit claims that Pfizer’s behavior violated both federal and Texas state law and is asking for over $10 million in damages ($10,000 per each violation of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act [DTPA] plus interest and fees.) To me, this doesn’t come close to “drop in the bucket” level. Given that Pfizer’s vaccine brought in tens of billions of dollars in revenues, as mentioned in the suit, even a $100-million fine would be a drop in the bucket and just a cost of doing business. But even if Texas loses, the discovery process might embarrass Pfizer and act as a deterrent to such behavior in future.
As to the merits of the suit, I’m not a lawyer, and I hope I’m wrong, but I’m guessing it will fail. The complaint that “95% effective” is misleading will probably fail because Pfizer at least used the technical definition of effectiveness, FDA guidance notwithstanding. The fact that the MSM were misled in their reporting is irrelevant. The fact that the FDA issued some CYA statements during the process does not change that the FDA probably knew every false and misleading statement Pfizer issued, every questionable action it took, and yet still signed off on both the EUA and approval.
The court might rule that it is up to the FDA to sanction a company it is steering or has steered through the approval process. It is notable that Paxton avoided suing the FDA itself, probably because the chances of winning against a government agency, certainly on appeal, are near zero. FDA impropriety would be in the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch and congressional oversight.
Maybe Texas has standing on false statements violating the DTPA, but I wonder if the court might still consider the FDA to be the arbiter to prevent chaos. If the suit were relevant only to Lubbock County, I’d guess Pfizer would plead guilty to avoid discovery, pay the fine, and then say it did so to avoid the hassle. But a guilty plea or verdict there would likely lead to suits in other states and even overseas. Stay tuned.
W.A. Eliot is a pseudonym.
Image via Flickr , public domain.
Biden Threatens To Break Patents Over Drug Prices AP Photo/Evan Vucci 4:55
The Biden administration said Thursday that it will attempt to strip drugmakers of patents if government officials deem their prices to be too high.
Under a plan announced Thursday, the government would claim the right to control prices on drugs developed with the help of taxpayer money. The administration claims, without evidence, that drugmakers are “gouging” consumers with high prices and that the seizure plan would lower prices.
“Today, we’re taking a very important step toward ending price gouging so you don’t have to pay more for the medicine you need,” Biden said in a video posted online on Thursday.
The controversial seizure scheme, which is sure to be challenged in court, would permit the federal government to snatch the patents for high-priced drugs developed in part with public funds. Once seized—in a process known as “march-in rights”—the government would then be able to license competitors to manufacture and sell the drugs.
The details and the legal justification for the expanded power remained vague on Thursday morning. The process of how officials will deem a drug price as too high remains unclear. White House officials have refused to name which drugs might be targeted.
The Biden administration has been in a frenzy to distract public attention away from the widely perceived failures of its management of the U.S. economy. According to several recent polls, less than a third of the public says they approve of the job President Biden has done on the economy.
Polls also suggest that inflation, which hit four-decade highs under President Biden, is seen as the number one issue facing the country for many voters. The Biden administration’s efforts to convince the public that it has succeeded in reducing inflation have fallen flat, prompting many Democrats to implore the White Hosue to drop the term “Bidenomics” from its official statements.
The patent-break plan announced Thursday would do little to reduce inflation, in part because prescription drugs have not been a major source of inflation during the post-pandemic period. The government’s index tracking retail prices of prescription drugs showed that drug prices were down 7.2 percent in October compared with a year earlier. Drug prices have been below their year-ago levels since October of 2022. Prices have declined in four out of the last six months.
Nonetheless, the Biden administration pitched it as part of its “Bidenomics” agenda, claiming that the plan showed “the Biden-Harris Administration is cracking down on price gouging and taking on special interests to lower costs for consumers and ensure every American has access to high-quality, affordable health care.”
The Biden administration’s proposal would grant unprecedented power to officials to use price as a factor when determining whether to implement so-called “march-in rights.” The authority to break patents developed with government money has been on the books for more than 40 years but price has not been a factor in determining their use.
March-in rights were created by a 1980 law known as the Bayh-Dole Act, which was intended to boost the private sector’s participation in government research and encourage the commercialization of products developed with government funds. The act also gave the government the authority to strip a patent if its holders were not making reasonable efforts to bring an invention to the market.
“For the first time, ever, the high price of that taxpayer-funded drug is a factor in determining that the drug is not accessible to the public on reasonable terms,” said Biden domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden, according to the Associated Press.
Critics say that expanding march-in authority so that it could be triggered by prices deemed “unreasonable” would stifle innovation in drug development and may make investors hesitant to accept government funds meant to accelerate the invention process.
From the Associated Press :
The plan could threaten future drugs, according to the pharmaceutical lobbying firm Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA.Pharmaceutical companies have long relied on government research to develop new drugs. The most recent major breakthrough was the development of COVID-19 vaccines. U.S. taxpayers invested billions of dollars in the effort and were able, until recently, to access treatments and preventions for the virus without paying out-of-pocket for them.
“This would be yet another loss for American patients who rely on public-private sector collaboration to advance new treatments and cures,” PhRMA spokesperson Megan Van Etten said.
Critics of the plan say that the Biden administration knows the unprecedented expansion of the 1980 march-in authority faces an uphill battle in the courts but that it expects to reap political benefits from proposing it. It is being likened to the Biden administration’s plan to forgive student loans, which was deemed illegal by the Supreme Court.
Fact Check: Vivek Ramaswamy Is Right, Wuhan Is Shipping Fentanyl Materials to Mexico AP Photo/Gerald Herbert 4:41
CLAIM: Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy claimed that precursor drugs used to make fentanyl “are coming from labs in Wuhan, China” and going to Mexican drug cartels.
VERDICT: TRUE. Wuhan is one of China’s top chemical-producing cities and for years dominated fentanyl manufacturing; it has since evolved into the home of top suppliers of fentanyl precursor ingredients.
Ramaswamy noted Wuhan’s status as the home of several chemical corporations linked to the production of fentanyl – and, in particular, accused of selling precursor drugs to Mexican cartels that then produce the fentanyl and ship it to the United States. Ramaswamy was responding to a question on Wednesday night during a Republican presidential primary debate, hosted by the network NewsNation.
Asked if his promise to use the military to eliminate drug labs in Mexico was “giving false hope” to Americans plagued by an increasingly severe fentanyl overdose crisis, Ramaswamy described the decision to combat the cartels as “the easy part.”
“The easy part is talking about how we are going to use our military to secure the border. I will, and I believe that everybody else [on stage] wants to do the same thing,” he responded. “But the harder part is dealing with the crisis of purpose and meaning, the mental health epidemic raging across this country like wildfire.”
Ramaswamy returned to the origin of fentanyl later in his answer, asserting, “A lot of these [precursor materials] are coming from labs in Wuhan, China, of all places, drug materials that are going to the Mexican drug cartels that they are pumping across that southern border like a modern opium war.”
The candidate added that, if elected, “I will tell [Chinese dictator] Xi Jinping: you will not only not buy land in this country or donate to universities in this country, U.S. businesses won’t expand into the Chinese market until they’re playing by the same set of rules.”
“The same country that’s putting fentanyl into illegal pharmaceuticals in Mexico – it’s no coincidence – is the exact same country that unleashed hell on the world with the COVID-19 pandemic,” he concluded. “We also have to hold them accountable with every financial lever we have available.”
Wuhan, China, is most known internationally as the first city to document cases of the novel coronavirus that fueled a pandemic beginning in early 2019. Prior to the pandemic, however, Wuhan had already developed a reputation as a hub for fentanyl production.
“For drug traffickers interested in getting in on the fentanyl business, all roads once led to Wuhan,” the Los Angeles Times observed in 2020. “The sprawling industrial city built along the Yangtze River in east-central China is known for its production of chemicals, including the ingredients needed to cook fentanyl and other powerful synthetic opioids.”
The Los Angeles Times report identified Mexican drug cartels as “the biggest customers” for Wuhan’s fentanyl industry.
China’s brutal lockdowns following the pandemic, which began in Wuhan itself, affected the global supply chain of fentanyl significantly, raising prices and resulting in drug cartels shifting strategies. The ties between Wuhan pharmaceutical companies and Mexican drug cartels persisted, however, leading to the U.S. government sanctioning and indicting some of those companies.
In April, the Treasury Department announced sanctions on Wuhan Shuokang Biological Technology Co., Ltd, a pharmaceutical company, and its own Yao Huatao for being a key supplier of fentanyl precursor drugs. In June, the Justice Department announced criminal charges against several Chinese pharmaceutical executives and companies for allegedly providing fentanyl precursors. The Wuhan-based Hubei Amarvel Biotech Co. Ltd. was accused of having “exported vast quantities of the precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl and its analogues.”
Amarvel Biotech, the Justice Department noted, openly advertised “stealth shipping” of their products to Mexico and appeared to have ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
Another series of eight Justice Department indictments announced in October targeted several more Chinese companies, including at least one headquartered in Wuhan, accused of “fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and international money laundering.”
Follow Frances Martel on Facebook and Twitter.
Nolte: Democrat-run San Francisco Faces Worst Year Ever of Overdose Deaths Nick Otto for the Washington Post 4:01
Democrat-run San Francisco is facing its deadliest year in history for drug overdoses. During the full month of August — all 31 days — San Francisco was hit with an overdose death every nine hours .
Well, this is what happens when you vote for Democrats who declare your city a sanctuary city, refuse to put convicted criminals in jails, and support a Southern border that is wide open to third-world invaders who bring with them sex trafficking and deadly narcotics.
It’s terrible, no question. I don’t want to see anyone get hurt or die, and my heart breaks for people caught in the horrors of addiction, but this is what the people of San Francisco vote for.
RELATED: San Francisco Police Chief — Most Pervasive Drug Area’s ‘Not Even a One-Square-Mile Area’ But There’s Massive Addiction
No one who ran for office in this once beautiful city hid their desire to import third-world illegals, look the other way with drug cases, or release criminals. And what happened?
The idiots of San Francisco voted overwhelmingly to destroy their city. Oh, yeah, they are showing us MAGAtards a thing or two — as we live here where life is safe, clean, and tolerant.
“San Francisco is facing its deadliest year ever for drug overdoses,” reports the far-left Guardian . “a trend blamed on the surge of powerful synthetic fentanyl in the US’s illicit drug supply.”
The report continues : “August was the deadliest month on record – with an overdose death every nine hours.”
“It’s going to be an almost 25% increase over last year – that’s crazy and unfortunate,” said one addiction specialist.
Democrats open the border…
South of Market St. along Heron ST. Paramedics and firefighters tend to a subject suffering from a heroin Overdose. The person was given an antedote and was revived back from being unconscious. (Michael Macor/The Chronicle (MICHAEL MACOR/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Cartels smuggle in fentanyl and meth.
These drugs are deliberately dosed to murder Americans…
Nevertheless, San Francisco politicians do nothing to reverse its sanctuary policy, nothing to pressure His Fraudulency Joe Biden to secure the border; San Francisco residents approve of this in overwhelming numbers with their votes, and John eats cookies and watches Star Trek* because San Francisco is not my problem.
Democrats release convicted felons…
Felons deal the drugs deliberately dosed to murder Americans…
RELATED: CNN’s Sidner — Drug Users Come to San Francisco Because of Lax Laws
Nevertheless, San Francisco politicians do nothing to protect its citizens from these predators. San Francisco residents approve of this in overwhelming numbers with their votes, and John eats cookies and watches Star Trek* because San Francisco is not my problem.
Democrats want to live like this. Living like this is a choice . This is still a free country where citizens choose their rulers, and urban Democrats vote and vote and vote for drug deaths, rioting, looting, gang violence, car-jackings, murder, rape, hate crimes, pollution, and poopy streets. I’m supposed to lose a minute’s sleep when I live in a great country where everyone gets what they vote for.
I vote for this .
Democrats vote for this.
God bless America.
*I only watch the original Star Trek because Star Trek without William Shatner is this .
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After your purchase, email JJMNOLTE at HOTMAIL dot COM with your address and any personalization requests. Borrowed Time is winning five-star raves from everyday readers and is the perfect Christmas gift. You can read an excerpt here and an in-depth review here . Also available on Kindle and Audiobook .
CALIFORNIA, AN OPEN BORDER STATE, RANKS No ONE FOR POVERTY, HOMELESS, CRIME, ILLEGALS ON WELFARE AND NUMBER OF ANCHOR BABY BREEDERS
Angelina Jolie Says She Plans to Leave Los Angeles: ‘Hollywood Is Not a Healthy Place’ TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images Hollywood mega-star Angelina Jolie has revealed that she is pretty much done living in Los Angeles, declaring that “Hollywood is not a healthy place.”
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal , Angelina Jolie said she plans to eventually leave L.A., though she didn’t specify when.
“It’s part of what happened after my divorce. I lost the ability to live and travel as freely. I will move when I can,” she told the newspaper, adding that she will spend more time at her home in Cambodia.
“I grew up in quite a shallow place,” she said. “Of all the places in the world, Hollywood is not a healthy place. So you seek authenticity.”
Jolie is the latest celebrity to throw in the towel when it comes to crime-ridden Los Angeles.
Stars including Mark Wahlberg , Dean Cain , and Scott Baio.
Los Angeles County has seen a surge in crime in recent years following District Attorney George Gascon’s (D) soft-on-crime policies that have decriminalized a wide range of offenses.
Smash-and-grabs have become endemic to Southern California, while shoplifting is now so commonplace that drug stores are locking up shelves to prevent theft.
Home invasions are hitting exclusive neighborhoods that are home to wealthy celebrities, creating a climate of fear in parts of the city that were once thought to be immune to urban crime.
L.A.’s homeless crisis is also getting worse, with tent cities lining the streets of even the most upscale neighborhoods.
The massive fire that recently shut down the 10 freeway for days originated from an homeless encampment beneath an underpass.
Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg . Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com
A social justice advocate was fatally shot Monday when a homeless woman allegedly broke into his house in the Mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles, California.
The founder of the social justice organization Lead With Love, 33-year-old Michael Latt, was found suffering from a gunshot wound, the New York Post reported Thursday.
The man was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. The Post article noted that a motive for the shooting is unknown, and officials are handling the case as a random act of violence.
Police have identified the suspect as 36-year-old Jameelah Elena Michl. Officials later booked her on a murder charge. She is now being held on $3 million bail.
An image shows what appears to be officials outside the home where the incident took place:
According to KTLA 5, the suspect remained outside the home and raised her hands in the air as she surrendered to law enforcement officers.
“I keep picturing his face, and I can’t believe he’s passed,” one neighbor told the outlet. “I was hoping he’d be okay. It didn’t even cross my mind that he could die,” she added:
In a post on his social media page, Latt’s family members wrote:
He devoted his career to supporting others, championing organizations that raised up women and artists of color, along with leveraging storytelling, art and various mediums to create enduring change and instill communities with hope, love and inspiration. Michael will never be forgotten and we can all carry on his legacy of love, compassion and fierce dedication to positive and lasting change.
Latt was at home with his fiancé when the shooting happened, according to KCAL. Investigators told the outlet the suspect was living in her vehicle at the time.
However, it remains unclear if she knew the victim:
“Our family, Michael’s extraordinary friends and colleagues are shattered by the profound grief of losing our Michael,” his relatives continued in the social media post.
Michael Latt attends the "#BlackLifeBlackProtest" screening during the Los Angeles Film Festival at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live in June 2015. (Amanda Edwards / WireImage)
Michael Latt, a marketing consultant and social justice advocate with strong ties to Hollywood, died Monday after a woman entered his home and fired a bullet that struck him in the head, law enforcement sources told The Times.
Authorities believe the shooting was a random act of violence.
Police were contacted around 6 p.m. about a shooting at Latt's residence in the 900 block of Alandele Avenue. Officers arrived to find him with a gunshot wound to his head. He was transported to a hospital, where he died of his injuries.
A preliminary investigation found Latt was shot by a woman who had entered his home without his permission. The suspect, identified by police as Jameelah Elena Michl, 36, was arrested on suspicion of murder at the scene. Taken into custody by responding officers, she is being held in lieu of $3-million bail.
Michl was described by law enforcement as a person living in her vehicle, which was parked nearby and removed as evidence by police. Latt did not know his assailant, and initial information indicated she was not given access to the home, law enforcement sources told The Times.
Latt was the chief executive of Lead With Love, an entertainment marketing consulting firm he founded in 2019 with an emphasis on elevating Black creatives and other underrepresented voices in Hollywood. He was the son of film producer David Latt and Michelle Satter, the founding senior director at the Sundance Institute. His brother, Franklin Latt, is an agent at CAA.
Satter shared the news Wednesday of Latt's death on X: "Our beloved son Michael Latt fell victim to a tragic act of violence this week," she wrote. "Michael devoted his career to supporting artists, championing organizations that raised up artists of color, & leveraged storytelling for enduring change. We celebrate his legacy, love & compassion."
As news spread Wednesday of Latt's death, hundreds of colleagues, friends and collaborators offered their condolences.
"Devastating loss — Michael was a shining beacon of selfless kindness and consistency," actor Jesse Williams wrote on Latt's final Instagram post .
The Sundance Institute, where Latt worked before and during his time at Lead With Love, issued a statement on behalf of the Latt family mourning his death.
"He dedicated his career to serving others, employing storytelling, art, and various mediums to create enduring change and galvanizing communities with hope, love, and inspiration," the statement read. "Michael will never be forgotten and his legacy and work will carry on through his family, his friends, and his colleagues."
After graduating from Chapman University in 2013 with a degree in public relations and advertising, Latt worked in entertainment marketing for several years. His work for Blackout for Human Rights, a social justice collective, led him to redirect the focus of his work to social justice activism.
"The moment I realized that I could use my skill set for social good, I decided to dedicate the rest of my career to helping others, empowering storytellers of color, and fighting injustice wherever it stands,” he told Forbes .
As the head of Lead With Love, Latt oversaw marketing campaigns featuring celebrities such as the musician Common and director Ryan Coogler. In 2020, the organization led a get-out-the-vote campaign in the lead-up to the November election. More recently, the organization led a campaign titled "Honoring Black Women" to promote the 2022 film "Till," which told the story of Emmett Till, the Black 14-year-old who was lynched in 1955, and his mother, Mamie.
"He was the definitive ally — used every tool he had to elevate the voices and work of Black creatives," writer Akilah Hughes, a friend of Latt's, wrote on X .
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .
A social justice advocate was fatally shot Monday when a homeless woman allegedly broke into his house in the Mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles, California.
The founder of the social justice organization Lead With Love, 33-year-old Michael Latt, was found suffering from a gunshot wound, the New York Post reported Thursday.
The man was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. The Post article noted that a motive for the shooting is unknown, and officials are handling the case as a random act of violence.
Police have identified the suspect as 36-year-old Jameelah Elena Michl. Officials later booked her on a murder charge. She is now being held on $3 million bail.
An image shows what appears to be officials outside the home where the incident took place:
According to KTLA 5, the suspect remained outside the home and raised her hands in the air as she surrendered to law enforcement officers.
“I keep picturing his face, and I can’t believe he’s passed,” one neighbor told the outlet. “I was hoping he’d be okay. It didn’t even cross my mind that he could die,” she added:
In a post on his social media page, Latt’s family members wrote:
He devoted his career to supporting others, championing organizations that raised up women and artists of color, along with leveraging storytelling, art and various mediums to create enduring change and instill communities with hope, love and inspiration. Michael will never be forgotten and we can all carry on his legacy of love, compassion and fierce dedication to positive and lasting change.
Latt was at home with his fiancé when the shooting happened, according to KCAL. Investigators told the outlet the suspect was living in her vehicle at the time.
However, it remains unclear if she knew the victim:
“Our family, Michael’s extraordinary friends and colleagues are shattered by the profound grief of losing our Michael,” his relatives continued in the social media post.
Michael Latt attends the "#BlackLifeBlackProtest" screening during the Los Angeles Film Festival at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live in June 2015. (Amanda Edwards / WireImage)
Michael Latt, a marketing consultant and social justice advocate with strong ties to Hollywood, died Monday after a woman entered his home and fired a bullet that struck him in the head, law enforcement sources told The Times.
Authorities believe the shooting was a random act of violence.
Police were contacted around 6 p.m. about a shooting at Latt's residence in the 900 block of Alandele Avenue. Officers arrived to find him with a gunshot wound to his head. He was transported to a hospital, where he died of his injuries.
A preliminary investigation found Latt was shot by a woman who had entered his home without his permission. The suspect, identified by police as Jameelah Elena Michl, 36, was arrested on suspicion of murder at the scene. Taken into custody by responding officers, she is being held in lieu of $3-million bail.
Michl was described by law enforcement as a person living in her vehicle, which was parked nearby and removed as evidence by police. Latt did not know his assailant, and initial information indicated she was not given access to the home, law enforcement sources told The Times.
Latt was the chief executive of Lead With Love, an entertainment marketing consulting firm he founded in 2019 with an emphasis on elevating Black creatives and other underrepresented voices in Hollywood. He was the son of film producer David Latt and Michelle Satter, the founding senior director at the Sundance Institute. His brother, Franklin Latt, is an agent at CAA.
Satter shared the news Wednesday of Latt's death on X: "Our beloved son Michael Latt fell victim to a tragic act of violence this week," she wrote. "Michael devoted his career to supporting artists, championing organizations that raised up artists of color, & leveraged storytelling for enduring change. We celebrate his legacy, love & compassion."
As news spread Wednesday of Latt's death, hundreds of colleagues, friends and collaborators offered their condolences.
"Devastating loss — Michael was a shining beacon of selfless kindness and consistency," actor Jesse Williams wrote on Latt's final Instagram post .
The Sundance Institute, where Latt worked before and during his time at Lead With Love, issued a statement on behalf of the Latt family mourning his death.
"He dedicated his career to serving others, employing storytelling, art, and various mediums to create enduring change and galvanizing communities with hope, love, and inspiration," the statement read. "Michael will never be forgotten and his legacy and work will carry on through his family, his friends, and his colleagues."
After graduating from Chapman University in 2013 with a degree in public relations and advertising, Latt worked in entertainment marketing for several years. His work for Blackout for Human Rights, a social justice collective, led him to redirect the focus of his work to social justice activism.
"The moment I realized that I could use my skill set for social good, I decided to dedicate the rest of my career to helping others, empowering storytellers of color, and fighting injustice wherever it stands,” he told Forbes .
As the head of Lead With Love, Latt oversaw marketing campaigns featuring celebrities such as the musician Common and director Ryan Coogler. In 2020, the organization led a get-out-the-vote campaign in the lead-up to the November election. More recently, the organization led a campaign titled "Honoring Black Women" to promote the 2022 film "Till," which told the story of Emmett Till, the Black 14-year-old who was lynched in 1955, and his mother, Mamie.
"He was the definitive ally — used every tool he had to elevate the voices and work of Black creatives," writer Akilah Hughes, a friend of Latt's, wrote on X .
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
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