Murder With Baseball Bat of Mentally Disabled Man Caught on Surveillance Tape in L.A.

LOS ANGELES – A mentally disabled man was beaten to death with a baseball bat on May 29, and the attack was captured by a surveillance camera in Los Angeles.

On Tuesday, May 29, 2007, around 8:45 p.m., James McKinney, 41, of Los Angeles, walked to a store from his home, a board and care facility for the mentally challenged. As he neared the corner of Wilton Place and Olympic Boulevard, a male assailant approached him from behind and violently struck the back of his head with an aluminum baseball bat. The suspect then fled on foot. McKinney, hemorrhaging, fell to the ground. An unidentified passerby called 911.

McKinney was rushed by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics to Cedars Sinai Hospital, where he died from severe head injuries on June 3rd.

Click here to watch the surveillance video posted on Fox affiliate KTTV.

Police describe the suspect as Hispanic, between the ages of 16 and 20 years old, 5 feet 9 inches tall and approximately 175 pounds. In the surveillance tape, he was bald, wearing black shorts, a dark T-shirt and white tennis shoes.

"We hope that someone can identify the person who committed this horrific crime and will call police with information on his whereabouts," said LAPD spokesperson Officer April Harding.

Investigators are still evaluating evidence and interviewing witnesses, although no motive has been determined.

L.A. local Fox affiliate station KTTV TV 11 and the LAPD is asking that anyone with information is asked to call Wilshire Homicide Detective John Shafia or Detective Mark Holguin at (213) 473-0446. On weekends and during off-hours, phone the 24-hour Detective Information Desk at 1-877-LAWFULL (529-3855).