In 2010, then-
When California governor candidate Meg Whitman held a political rally at a Hollywood hotel, a man questioned her from the front row.
"What are you hiding?
The man shouted at the Republican candidate.
"You look like Arnold in a skirt!
He is referring to the outgoing government.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Before Whitman respondedNew Jersey Gov.
Chris Christie, who spoke to Whitman, walked off the stage and pointed his finger to the man's face and said, "the loud and screaming people like you are splitting the country.
The man pointed his finger to Christie's face.
For many watching the episode on TV, this is the first glimpse of former fashion model Ed Barker, no matter how short
Describes the retired millionaires and former candidates for the West Hollywood City Council.
Now, after two men died in his West Hollywood apartment, Buck is making a different notoriety.
Earlier this month, the death of 55-year-old Timothy Dean and 26-year-old Jermel Moore in 2017 prompted a murder investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Prosecutors declined to file charges in the first case, but the Sheriff's Department recently said it would review the case after Dean's death.
The deaths sparked anger and suspicion among activists, as well as among male family members and friends, who questioned whether differences in race, wealth and political relations had affected the investigation.
The dead were black. Buck is white.
Buck's lawyer Seymour Ernst said his client was a "heart of gold" and he invited people in trouble to come to his house to help them.
Buck is not responsible for death, he said.
Buck, 64, has been a controversial figure in West Hollywood, where he is best known for his animal rights and LGBT activism, as well as his
He is a mystery to those who know him.
A man who lives in an apartment with little furniture bragging about his wealth.
He has an old dog, but he is known to criticize strangers for walking the dog.
Buck, the son of a city sanitation worker and a secretary, grew up in Phoenix.
His mother once told reporters that when Buck was in high school, "the dean of the boys college called me at work on a hotline.
I'll call up and say, 'Okay, what's this time?
In his early 20 s, Buck worked as a fashion model and actor in Europe for a few years and then returned to Arizona, unemployed.
He works for a friend's company, the information service company of a car insurance company.
He slept on a mattress in the company's office and finally bought his friend.
He later sold the company for what he called "millions of dollars . "
According to the Republic of Arizona, he suddenly became rich, retired at the age of 32, and bored.
In the 1980 s, Buck led the successful impeachment of the governor of Arizona and became a prominent figure in the country. Evan Mecham.
Buck claimed to be a conservative Republican who opened a shop in an office in downtown Phoenix, where he hung up the governor's pinata portrait, sow the recall campaign with his own $5,000 and turn it into a fulltime job.
After learning that Buck was gay, Mecham declared him "radical gay ".
Buck replied, "he's right. So what?
"In the recall, Buck was arrested on 1983 for grabbing the crotch of another man in the bookstore.
Buck admitted to disrupting the peace and said to reporters: "They didn't say that this person likes peace.
When Buck threatened to launch a recall against two Arizona senators, Democratic Senator Dennis doncini, and Republican Senator John McCain, he printed $10 counterfeit notes with their photos and the words "illegal bidding for private fraud by fav.
The Secret Service caught them and said they were too much of a real currency.
Court records show that buck eventually went to Southern California, where he had been the subject of several restraining orders.
Records of three cases involving Buck were destroyed by the Los Angeles High Court on 2007.
In another case still documented, James de Jarnette, a Los Angeles psychologist, 2002 requested an interim injunction against Buck, he wrote that Buck came to him and said that he had the feeling of sleeping in his dreams, and that "it seems that he wants to be safe.
"When De Jarnette said he couldn't prescribe medicine, Buck told me what a pity I was," De Jarnette wrote . ".
A few hours later, Buck called him back and said, "you will feel my pain;
According to court records and police reports, I'm on my way here. ".
De Jarnette claims that Buck hangs leaflets on his apartment building telling residents to protect themselves as De Jarnette invites "dangerous people" to his home as he
De Garnett's petition was rejected after the hearing.
De Jarnette could not be reached for comment.
Buck wrote in a court document in response to the charges against degarnett: "He may be afraid, but all he has to be afraid of is the truth.
In 2007, as part of the slate to save the West Hollywood movement, Buck's campaign for the West Hollywood City Council failed, and a group of candidates promised to stop the giant-
Develop and "remove the 'sales' sign of the town hall.
"Former MP Steve Martin said during his campaign that Buck is known for his animal rights activities, especially for golden retriever.
He was the main force in the city's 2011 decision to ban the sale of fur clothing.
But Buck often shows up on people's faces, says Martin.
Buck will see people walking their dogs and saying that they did something wrong or that their dog diet was wrong.
"Just like Ed is an expert, he knows best," Martin said . ".
The longtime Hollywood West-based Allegra Allison helped buck to run out of his apartment for the City Council campaign.
She described him as "oneyour-
"Very nervous face activist ".
"He has little furniture and he rents furniture for the campaign," she said . ".
"It's two small bedrooms and the living room is basically empty.
Transgender activist and writer Ashley Marie Preston says she met buck through the LGBTQ political group Stonewall Democracy Club, where she is the chairman of the special event.
On 2016, Preston attended a club retreat at a mountain resort in Kern County.
She went out into the yard and Buck followed her and she didn't know Buck.
They chatted and took a picture together.
She said that suddenly Buck took out his mobile phone and began to show her a video of young black people smoking ice poison.
Preston said she was a recovering meth addict and immediately realized what was going on in the video.
"He's really focused on this video. . . .
"He didn't run away," Preston said . ".
"He was looking all the time, with an awkward smile on his face, and he said, 'he's beautiful.
Preston and Buck never discussed it again.
Amster said he was not familiar with the incident and did not know what was on Buck's phone.
On 2017, Gemmel Moore died of an Ice Poison overdose at Buck's home. according to the Los Angeles County coroner's report, investigators found "multiple sex toys, multiple syringes and transparent plastic bags. The toolbox contains suspected ice poison.
Cabinet in the living room.
Moore was homeless and had an escort job.
The Times commented on the pages of a magazine that authorities said were found in Moore's property.
Moore is said to have written about the use of crystal meth in 2016.
"I have become addicted to drugs and this is the worst time," the Wall Street Journal said . ".
"The person to thank is Ed Barker, who gave me the first shot [chral [sic]meth.
The Times interviewed a young black man in Issue 2017, who asked not to use his name because he was an escort.
The man said he reported complaints about Buck at West Hollywood sheriff's station three weeks before Moore's death, similar to those in the Wall Street Journal.
The man showed the communication between the times and Buck and the pictures of him and Buck in the apartment.
Nana Gyamfi, a lawyer representing the man, and a sheriff's detective confirmed that the man provided the same information to investigators investigating Moore's death.
The man said that he went to Buck's apartment in July 3, 2017. Buck took a picture of him and asked him if he wanted to drink something.
Buck gave him a glass of water, he said, and he felt a sting.
"The next thing I know is that I wake up from a deep breath," said the man.
"My arm hurts right away. I'm tied to the sofa. Just my arm.
I hurt my arm.
"He said he went to the sheriff's station later, but the authorities told him that he was adjusting and needed to leave.
Amster said he didn't know if Buck was engaged in illegal drugs, "I really don't know and don't care about what he volunteered to do.
Last summer, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office refused to file charges of Moore's death on grounds of insufficient evidence.
An unacceptable search and seizure was cited in an allegation evaluation form, but not specified in detail.
The authorities said both Buck were present. On Jan.
Timothy Dean of West Hollywood died in Buck's apartment.
The cause of death has not yet been announced, but Amster says Dean died of a significant excess after taking one substance in another place.
Law enforcement officers conducted a safety check on Dean's autopsy.
The deaths attracted dozens of protesters to his home.
In a protest, Moore's mother, LaTisha Nixon, said Buck was "robbing black people.
Jasmyne Cannick, political adviser to the protest, accused Buck of luring vulnerable black men to his apartment for sexual gratification. Capt.
Chris Bergner of the sheriff's killing Bureau said that as part of an investigation into Dean's death, all the material from the Moore death investigation was re-examined.
Activists questioned whether Buck's donation to elected officials protected him from arrest and charges.
Since 2009, Buck has donated more than $520,000 to local, state and federal campaigns.
In addition to the women's councillor Lindsay Hovet, he has donated to the current members of the West Hollywood City Council.
Last week, Hovas held a candlelight vigil for Moore and Dean outside the Barkhouse.
She said she had asked Sheriff Alex Villaneuva for additional patrols near the apartment.
The race was unfairly used to accuse Buck of his death, Amster said, and black life-problem activists targeted his clients "because they are seeking political victory.
"Some people still want us to have a race war," Amster said . ".
"Some people want to see something black, white or brown. It’s not.
If we want to move on and avoid identifying individuals by race, we must exclude race from dialogue.
Amster said Buck was not as rich as the media reported.
Buck helped "hundreds of people," he said ".
"They are homeless;
He found a job for them.
He helped them get rid of the drugs, "said Amster.
"When they have no one else to turn to, they turn to him.
He gave them a place to sleep and that was one of the problems, unfortunately they brought their problems into his residence and he was blamed for their situation.
Amster added: "He does have friends in the elected community, and I don't think they exist anymore . "
There are voters who like him. That’s over.
Maloy Moore, a staff writer at The Times, contributed to the report.