A group of residents, business owners and others suing the City and County of LA over their handling of the homelessness crisis seek a court order to compel immediate action on skid row.
The LA Alliance for Human Rights is seeking a preliminary injunction to require city and county officials to shelter or house and provide services to pretty much everyone living on the streets of skid row within three months.
The motion mentions the recent death of an elderly disabled man on skid row whose body was found after a tent fire. It says: "His charred corpse remained on the sidewalk for hours, a testament to decades of intentional actions and deliberate indifference by the City and County."
It includes a chilling photo of the man's remains.
'I know I didn't pull punches, it's not something I have ever done before," says attorney Elizabeth Mitchell.
But Mitchell, who's representing the alliance, felt it was important to include the photo.
"Sometimes people need to see what war actually looks like and this is nothing short of that," she says.
The lawsuit was filed more than a year ago.
The LA Times reports the City Council seems to be nearing a settlement.
The county has asked to be dismissed from the lawsuit.
After months of negotiations, Mitchell says "some progress has been made" but people are still dying on the streets and she insists "we can't wait any longer."
Homeless deaths have long been rising for years in LA County and appear to be headed for a new record this year.