Los Angeles City Council Candidate Faces Scrutiny Over Past Incident
Jordan Rivers, a 22-year-old candidate running for a harbor-area district on the Los Angeles City Council, has found himself at the center of controversy after a report surfaced alleging that he stabbed a neighbor when he was 12 years old. Despite this, Rivers has stated that he will continue his campaign, citing that past mistakes do not define a person.
Rivers is the sole challenger to incumbent Tim McOsker in the June 2 primary election, representing District 15, which includes Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, San Pedro, Watts, and Wilmington. The lawsuit, filed by Nicholas Parszik and his parents, alleged that Rivers stabbed Nicholas, then 8, while the two boys were playing video games in the garage of Nicholas’ San Pedro home on July 30, 2016.
Incident Details and Aftermath
According to the lawsuit, Rivers “stabbed Nicholas repeatedly around the neck and shoulder areas,” inflicting “severe and life-threatening physical and emotional injuries.” Rivers has since described the incident as an “accident” that occurred a decade ago, stating that he does not believe past situations or mistakes define a person.
Rivers, who is Black, also suggested that an initial media report about the lawsuit had “a racial undertone” and seemed intended to damage his reputation ahead of the election. The California Post first reported the lawsuit on Monday, which was also the last day for candidates to withdraw paperwork to run for office.
Response from Opponent and Community
McOsker, who is seeking a second term, expressed sadness and concern over the incident, stating that his heart breaks for the victim and his family. McOsker’s campaign consultant, Dave Jacobson, said that only Rivers could decide whether to run and whether he should stay in the race.
Rivers, who listed his occupation as “community organizer” on campaign filings, has not reported any campaign donations, whereas McOsker’s campaign had raised over $190,000 by Dec. 31, according to the city’s Ethics Commission. Juvenile criminal records are sealed, and Rivers said that law enforcement “got involved” but that he did not serve time in juvenile hall.
Paul Parszik, Nicholas’ father, recalled the incident, stating that he was doing dishes when he heard screaming from the garage and Nicholas ran into the house with stab wounds on his neck and shoulders. Parszik plans to attend Rivers’ campaign rallies, expressing his intention to confront Rivers about the incident.
Settlement and Current Status
Rivers’ mother, Eunice Rivers, settled the case in 2018 for $10,000, which did not include an admission of fault. However, Paul Parszik claimed in an October court filing that Eunice Rivers never paid the settlement and owes $7,941.71 in interest. The lawsuit was primarily intended to pressure the Rivers family to move away, which they did not do.
Rivers denied attacking Nicholas, stating that he had been cooking and accidentally brought a cooking knife to the younger boy’s home. He claimed that the two began “play fighting,” and he didn’t notice anything was wrong until Nicholas was already injured.
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