By Ben Christopher, CALmatters

CALmatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Photo:  activist Najee Ali, center, kneels with weekend demonstrators in front of the Palmdale Sheriff's station as protesters demand an investigation into the death of 24-year-old Robert Fuller, who was found hanging from a tree early Wednesday. On Monday, state Attorney General Xavier Becerra agreed to get the state involved. Photo by Josie Huang/KPCC/LAist via AP

June 18, 2020 (Palmdale, Calif.) - California’s Justice Department will send officers to Palmdale to investigate the hanging death of a black man — one of two similar incidents in the high desert over the last few weeks, Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced this morning.