A state appeals court panel on Tuesday upheld the conviction of Inglewood Mayor James Butts Jr.’s 39-year-old daughter on assault and conspiracy charges stemming from allegations that she masterminded an attack on her landlord in South Los Angeles more than nine years ago.
The three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected Ashley Melissa Butts’ challenge to rulings made on four issues by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mildred Escobedo, along with the defense’s request to conditionally reverse her conviction and to direct the trial court to determine whether she should be granted mental health diversion.
In a 56-page ruling, the justices found that “the evidence of Butts’ guilt was overwhelming.”
Butts pleaded guilty in 2019 to assault and conspiracy charges in the case in connection with a plea deal that was expected to result in a one-year county jail term and a suspended four-year state prison term, but she was subsequently allowed to withdraw her plea and proceed to trial.
The first jury to hear the case against her deadlocked, with the second jury finding her guilty of one count each of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and conspiracy to commit assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury involving the April 30, 2016, attack.
In a brief statement before she was sentenced to four years in state prison in January 2024, Butts said that she “wanted to make it clear to the court that I do accept responsibility for my actions.”
“I am remorseful,” she said, adding that she was “very sorry I disrespected this court.”
The judge said Butts “manipulated” others around her, and engaged in “terrible and abusive treatment” of the courtroom’s staff, including contacting court reporters at midnight.
Butts is no longer behind bars, according to state prison records.
She is also pursuing dismissal of the case in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, with a hearing set Wednesday on her petition.
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