A homeless woman who was stalking another man has pleaded guilty to murdering Hollywood movie consultant and social justice activist Michael Latt after she forced her way into the victim’s home in 2023.
Jameelah Elena Michl, 36, was reportedly looking to attack film director A.V. Rockwell when she forced her way into Michael Latt’s home in November. Rockwell, who was a friend of the victim, was not in Latt’s home at the time of the assault.
Michl is accused of forcing her way into the 33-year-old Latt’s home after he answered his front door. She then pulled out a pistol and shot Latt in the head.
Prosecutors say the accused had been stalking Rockwell for months and had written threatening letters to him.The director also took out an order of protection against the woman.
Michl initially pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this year, but has now pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and other charges, according to Fox News.
NEWS: Michael Latt, Hollywood social justice activist and founder of Lead With Love, is gunned down in his own home by homeless woman yesterday.
— 🌈 Tess T. Eccles-Brown, PhD (@TTEcclesBrown) November 30, 2023
His work for Blackout For Human Rights, a social justice collective, led to him starting Lead With Love, which focuses on elevating… pic.twitter.com/yXXVELlb4S
Latt, who is from a wealthy Hollywood family, was the founder of Lead With Love, an entertainment marketing consulting firm that worked to elevate black performers and other “unrepresented” artists. The victim’s father is Hollywood film producer David Latt and his mother is Michelle Satter, the founder and senior director of the Sundance Institute.
The victim had collaborated with actors and filmmakers, and including Common, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, Barry Jenkins and many more. He most recently had a hand in Martin Scorsese‘s western epic, Killers of the Flower Moon.
The entertainment consultant had said that he intended to dedicate his life to social justice causes.
Latt was also affiliated with “Blackout for Human Rights,” a group Hollywood artists dedicated to fighting violence and empowering communities through art, KTLA reported.
“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,” Latt told Forbes in 2019.
The crime left Latt’s friends and co-workers stunned and many leapt to social media to leave tributes to a man many called a “social justice warrior.”
Latt’s father, David Latt, is a movie producer, and his brother is the head of talent at CAA.
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