A young man pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges stemming from the death of a 72-year-old woman who was attacked in Long Beach nearly a year ago.
Lawrence Jackson, 19, of Bellflower, was charged June 29 with one count each of murder and elder abuse causing death, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Jackson was arrested during a traffic stop in Bellflower July 6 by detectives from Long Beach’s Special Investigations Division in connection with the alleged attack Aug. 21, 2021, on Barbara Scott, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
Officers were sent to the 1000 block of Redondo Avenue that day “regarding an argument between a male and female adult, with a female adult victim intervening, which resulted in the death of the female victim,” police said.
“Upon arrival, officers observed an adult female victim being treated by Long Beach Fire Department personnel for a complaint of pain to her upper body,” police said. “The woman declined any further medical attention and began providing information to officers.
“The woman described being in the alleyway when she intervened an argument between a male and female. The male approached the victim and struck her with his fist in her upper body, causing her to fall to the ground. The male and female then left the area,” police said.
At the end of her interview with officers, the victim returned to her residence, police said.
Later that day, officers were sent back to the location, where paramedics were treating the same victim, who was unresponsive in her apartment, police said. She was taken to a hospital by paramedics.
Officers were summoned to a local skilled nursing facility Sept. 16 after receiving a report that the woman had died, police said.
Records show that the coroner’s office subsequently classified Scott’s death as a homicide, ruling the cause as “sequelae of blunt head trauma,” or the result of a prior injury.
Jackson remains jailed on $2 million bail.
