June 4, 2026: State’s Highest Court Lets Stand Ruling That Los Angeles Judge Abused Discretion in Granting Mental Health Diversion To Charged Attempted Murderer

The California Supreme Court declines to review decision overruling the grant of pretrial mental health diversion order to a charged attempted murderer

LOS ANGELES - A man accused of a violent, racially motivated rampage in Santa Monica will face trial after the California Supreme Court declined to review an appellate court ruling agreeing with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office that the trial judge abused her discretion in granting pretrial mental health diversion. The published 2^nd District Court of Appeal decision remains binding law and citable throughout the state of California.

"This decision is a meaningful win for public safety in California. Mental health diversion may be appropriate for defendants with mental illnesses who engage in low-level, non-violent crimes. However, in situations where a defendant has committed violent acts, particularly those seriously injuring innocent victims, this decision now gives judges the tools they need to deny pretrial diversion for defendants who constitute an unreasonable risk to public safety if released into the community," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. "In this case, there was no evidence that the defendant was suitable for diversion and would safely comply with mental health treatment. In fact, the defendant, Job Uriah Taylor, had recently left a psychiatric facility, failed to take his medications and attacked multiple victims with a metal pipe, leaving one victim permanently disabled. This type of case is exactly why my office is fighting to amend the law and ensure that diversion programs are not used by judges in ways that put communities at risk."

Taylor (dob 12/26/97) was arrested on March 3, 2023, after allegedly using a metal pipe to beat a man in an encampment adjacent to the 5th Street Expo station in Santa Monica. The unprovoked attack was the last of three assaults with a deadly weapon Taylor is accused of committing within the span of an hour.

Two of Taylor's victims were hospitalized and another victim, 64-year-old Christian Hornburg, was beaten with a pipe. He survived but was severely injured with life-altering injuries.

Taylor was charged with one count of attempted murder, three felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon with force resulting in great bodily injury. The charges also include multiple hate crime enhancements as Taylor was heard shouting racial slurs at his victims during the attacks. Following his arrest, Taylor claimed he had been sent to Santa Monica to target Black residents.

On March 12, 2025, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lana Kim granted Taylor entry into the County's mental health diversion program instead of allowing the case to proceed to trial where he faced a potential life sentence. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office appealed that ruling, arguing Taylor posed an unreasonable risk to public safety.

In its decision issued on Sept. 30, 2025, the Court of Appeal agreed, emphasizing that Taylor had a history of abandoning treatment, had just been released from a psychiatric facility before committing the attacks and presented an ongoing danger to the community. The Court found there was no evidence he would follow through with voluntary treatment if granted diversion.

On Nov. 26, 2025, the Court of Appeal granted Taylor's petition for a rehearing.

On March 5, 2026, following the rehearing, the Court of Appeals once again agreed with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office that the trial court abused its discretion in granting Taylor pretrial mental health diversion.

After further appellate court proceedings, Taylor will face trial on the original charges in the Airport Courthouse. If convicted as charged, he faces life in state prison.

Case SA107988 is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Steve Dickman of the Hate Crimes Unit and remains under investigation by the Santa Monica Police Department.

In addition to advocating for victims in court, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office sponsored The Mental Health Diversion Reform Act, AB 2275, and supports AB 46 (Stephanie Nguyen, D-Elk Grove) to reform California's broken mental health diversion laws.

"Our communities depend on prosecutors and the courts to keep violent criminals off the streets and not release defendants who are plainly unsuitable for mental health diversion into our communities to harm more victims," said District Attorney Hochman. "Fixing mental health diversion is a priority for my office, and we will continue to support common sense laws to protect victims and public safety."