attempted murder

Man Charged With Sexual Assault, Attempted Murder of Senior Woman in Hollywood Home

Marcus Datwione Peete was charged Tuesday after entering an 80-year-old woman's apartment and assaulting her

A man was charged with sexually assaulting and attempting to kill an 80-year-old woman in Hollywood last month, prosecutors said.

Marcus Datwione Peete, 33, was charged Tuesday with one count each of attempted murder, assault, sexual penetration by a foreign object and first-degree burglary, after attacking the woman in her apartment last month, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

On June 18, the victim answered her front door and Peete forced his way into the home on North Ivar Avenue, pushing the woman into her bedroom and beating her, according to a statement from the district attorney's office. He is accused of sexually assaulting the woman as she fought back and allegedly punching her several more times before fleeing on foot.

The victim was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive.

Peete was arrested June 19 near Crenshaw and Olympic boulevards. During the investigation, police released surveilance video from the apartment that showed a man wanted in connection with the attack. The man can be seen pushing call box buttons until someone buzzed him into the apartment building.

Details regarding the arrest were not immediately available.

He is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted.

The arraignment Tuesday was rescheduled to Wednesday because Peete refused to leave his cell.

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