Obama-Honored Los Angeles Lawyer Faces Felony Charges in Alleged Yearlong Abuse Campaign
A Los Angeles attorney once celebrated for fighting violence against women is now facing allegations that place his private conduct in stunning conflict with the public causes that built his reputation. Cody Jordan McDavis, 32, has been charged with six felony counts and three misdemeanors over accusations that he stalked, physically injured and intimidated his girlfriend during an alleged campaign that continued for nearly a year. The criminal complaint was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on July 20. It covers alleged conduct between July 2025 and June 2026, painting a disturbing picture of repeated harassment, violence and attempts to prevent the woman from seeking help.
The case has drawn national attention because McDavis was no ordinary lawyer working quietly behind a desk. He was a former Division I basketball player, a UCLA law graduate and a nationally recognized advocate against sexual and gender-based violence. Now, the language of advocacy that once elevated his profile hangs heavily over a criminal case that could threaten his freedom, legal career and public legacy.
Nine charges describe an alleged pattern of control
The accusations involve far more than one confrontation or a relationship argument that suddenly spiraled out of control. McDavis faces three felony counts of inflicting corporal injury on a girlfriend, two felony stalking counts and one felony count accusing him of attempting to prevent the woman from pursuing a criminal complaint. He also faces three misdemeanor counts related to alleged violations of a protective order.
Prosecutors allege that McDavis repeatedly followed and harassed the woman, causing her to fear for her safety and the safety of members of her immediate family. The complaint presents the alleged behavior as an extended pattern of intimidation rather than an isolated incident. The reported timeline stretches across approximately 12 months. Prosecutors claim the conduct continued even after legal protections were put in place.
Under California law, inflicting corporal injury on a dating partner can be prosecuted as a felony when the alleged violence causes a wound or another traumatic physical condition. A conviction can carry several years of imprisonment, depending on the circumstances and the defendant’s criminal history. California’s stalking law covers repeated following or harassment involving a credible threat intended to place another person in reasonable fear for their safety or the safety of their immediate family. State law also prohibits knowingly attempting to discourage a victim from reporting a crime, assisting investigators or participating in a prosecution.
Protective-order allegations deepen the case
The three misdemeanor counts could become particularly important because they suggest the court had already ordered boundaries that prosecutors believe McDavis ignored. Protective orders are intended to create a legal barrier between an accused person and someone believed to be at risk. A knowing and willful violation can be punished as a misdemeanor under California law. In stalking and domestic violence cases, alleged protective-order violations can influence how a judge evaluates public safety, bail, and release conditions. Prosecutors may argue that such violations show that ordinary warnings or restrictions were not enough to stop the behavior.
McDavis is scheduled to be arraigned on September 2, 2026. Prosecutors have reportedly recommended that bail be set at $550,000. At the arraignment, the charges will be formally presented, and McDavis will have an opportunity to enter a plea. The accusations have not been proven in court. McDavis remains presumed innocent unless he is convicted.
A public reputation built around protecting women
What makes the case especially jarring is that McDavis spent years presenting himself as an ally in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence. In 2016, the Obama White House recognized him as one of its “It’s On Us” Champions of Change. The honor celebrated people working to confront sexual assault and change the culture surrounding violence on college campuses.
The White House archive described McDavis as a University of Northern Colorado graduate and former member of the school’s men’s basketball team. He also helped lead a national video competition connected to the It’s On Us campaign. The initiative, launched during the Obama administration, encouraged students, colleges and community leaders to accept responsibility for preventing sexual assault rather than treating it as a problem that belonged only to victims.
McDavis later expanded his activism into college athletics, arguing that athletic ability should not protect students with histories of violence from consequences. In 2019, he launched a petition calling on the most powerful NCAA conferences to prohibit athletes found responsible for serious violence from competing. The campaign, connected to a proposed policy known as the Tracy Rule, collected more than 280,000 signatures. His work received national coverage and positioned him as a former athlete willing to challenge the culture of college sports from within.
From celebrated advocate to criminal defendant
That history now creates a painful and unavoidable contradiction. McDavis once demanded that institutions take accusations of violence seriously. He now stands accused in a case involving many of the same themes he publicly confronted: physical injury, stalking, fear, control and alleged interference with a woman seeking legal protection. The contradiction does not prove the charges. Public honors are not evidence of innocence, just as criminal accusations are not proof of guilt. But the collision between McDavis’ advocacy and the allegations explains why the case has traveled far beyond a Los Angeles courtroom.
McDavis remains listed by the State Bar of California under license number 363138, with a professional address connected to Vedder Price’s Los Angeles office. The law firm’s biography identifies him as an associate on its Global Transportation Finance team and notes that he earned his law degree from UCLA. His legal training means he understands the seriousness of the proceedings now unfolding. Felony charges can create the possibility of imprisonment, while bail restrictions, protective orders and professional consequences may affect a defendant before any trial begins.
