Woman who was assaulted near Venice Canals files claim against city of LA

VENICE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A woman who was brutally beaten and sexually assaulted while walking near the Venice Canals has filed a $5 million claim against the city of Los Angeles.

Mary Klein was walking near the neighborhood's famed canals on April 6 when the suspect approached her from behind and struck her with a blunt object, leaving her unconscious, authorities said. The suspect similarly attacked another woman about an hour later as she was walking near the Sherman Canal. That woman died of her injuries on May 20.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Klein says the city was negligent in its duty to provide safe streets. Klein told the LA Times she filed her claim to urge the government to do more to protect its citizens.

The suspect, Anthony Francisco Jones, 30, was taken into custody on April 11 in San Diego, according to Los Angeles police.

The victims didn't know Jones and police didn't know him either. His only prior misdemeanor offenses happened in Oklahoma.

Jones was sentenced in September to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the sexual assault against both women and the murder of one.