PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY — Two Arizona men facing attempted murder charges for the brutal beating of a Santa Monica resident in September are expected to be booked at the Santa Monica Jail today after losing their battle to block extradition, authorities said.
Santa Monica police are traveling to Arizona to formally take custody of Brian Scott Hale and Brett Davis, who are currently being held on a bond of more than $1 million each, SMPD Sgt. Richard Lewis said Thursday.
Hale and Davis will be held at the jail until they are arraigned in Los Angeles Superior Court, something which could occur as early as Monday if there are no travel delays or health concerns, Lewis said.
The two men formally fought extradition, forcing prosecutors to seek a governor’s warrant. The warrant was submitted by Gov. Jerry Brown’s office on Dec. 5 and it was signed by the governor of Arizona on Dec. 8, said Evan Westrup, a spokesman for Brown’s office.
Hale and Davis challenged the warrant. Their appeals were denied earlier this week.
The two men were arrested in October by deputies with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department who were acting on information provided by Santa Monica detectives.
Police released surveillance video that captured two men running away from the scene of the beating moments after the attack, which took place in the early morning hours of Sept. 22. The victim was identified as a 45-year-old movie producer who was exercising with weights on the 3100 block of Santa Monica Boulevard when he was beaten.
The video, which police released in hopes of locating the suspects, does not show the actual beating.
Police said Hale and Davis attacked the man from behind and used the weights to knock the victim unconscious. He suffered a collapsed skull, several brain bleeds, a broken jaw and neck and back fractures, authorities said.
Hale and Davis were said to be in Los Angeles working for a moving company at the time of the attack.
kevinh@www.smdp.com
