Murder by means of a dog. Is this realistic or a far fetched
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2001 8:24 pm
A Grand Jury in San Fransico has idicted two dog owners on two counts of murder and a lesser included offense after one of the two dogs killed a woman in the hallway of a residence apartment building in which the dog owners (and dogs) resided.
The commonly publicised facts alleged are that the dog's female owner could not prevent the dog from attacking and killing a female resident of the apartment building just outside of the victims apartment entrance.
What the dog owner did to prevent this is probably only her word at least as far as I know. I have never heard that there was an eye witness.
In the onset of the case, there were a lot of media reports that these dogs were trained to attack and kill.
This morning on TV with Matt Lauer, the District Attorney, when asked admitted that they had no proof that the dogs were ever trained to attack or kill.
The DA stated that she had evidence that the dogs had a past history of aggresive conduct and could make a case on this evidence.
You must realize that Grand Jury sessions are great target areas for any prosecutor to get an indictment because they listen to the DA who conducts this session in secrecy with only prosecutors present with their version of the case and can be as agressive and manipulative as they please. It is their forum.
Homicide is quite a charge to result from the conduct of an animal which was not ordered or siced on the victim, yet can be justified on the theory that one is responsible for the acts resulting from the failure to control a predatory animal.
Some of the publicized banter of the media hyped the breed of the dog as being the cause of the problem.
This argument is constantly attributed to pit bulls in this country.
Dogs are no different than humans in that they may become the victims of their environment or training. Some have personality disorders and are sociopaths
much like their human counterparts.
Want proof? Anybody that knows Mattson, sensei's dog Tia is aware that Tia is a sweet and loving American Pit Bull Terrier from a great lineage of that breed.
My son in law has a garage and yard where he parks and maintains heavy equipment and is also the area rescue person for displaced pit bulls and those that he breeds.
I can tell you that these dogs each have their own heated dog houses and are kept apart from each other.
I visit them from time to time with a large bag of milk bones in hand, walk among them, and when you get to know them and their ways they will greet you lovingly. I was once nipped by one who left a purple dent on my hand but did not break the skin. I later found out that this dog was taken in off the street, and had once been abused, and feared a hand being extended out at him. If I put the milk bone extended out with my hand at my side he would come over and gently pull it out of my hand.
I don't know what evidence they have to present beyond a reasonable doubt that the dogs were inherently vicious, and that the owners were were guilty of gross negligence to the degree that it became criminal in the circumstances of that case.
As I dog lover, I admit my prejudice.
What do you think about this case?
Alan K
The commonly publicised facts alleged are that the dog's female owner could not prevent the dog from attacking and killing a female resident of the apartment building just outside of the victims apartment entrance.
What the dog owner did to prevent this is probably only her word at least as far as I know. I have never heard that there was an eye witness.
In the onset of the case, there were a lot of media reports that these dogs were trained to attack and kill.
This morning on TV with Matt Lauer, the District Attorney, when asked admitted that they had no proof that the dogs were ever trained to attack or kill.
The DA stated that she had evidence that the dogs had a past history of aggresive conduct and could make a case on this evidence.
You must realize that Grand Jury sessions are great target areas for any prosecutor to get an indictment because they listen to the DA who conducts this session in secrecy with only prosecutors present with their version of the case and can be as agressive and manipulative as they please. It is their forum.
Homicide is quite a charge to result from the conduct of an animal which was not ordered or siced on the victim, yet can be justified on the theory that one is responsible for the acts resulting from the failure to control a predatory animal.
Some of the publicized banter of the media hyped the breed of the dog as being the cause of the problem.
This argument is constantly attributed to pit bulls in this country.
Dogs are no different than humans in that they may become the victims of their environment or training. Some have personality disorders and are sociopaths
much like their human counterparts.
Want proof? Anybody that knows Mattson, sensei's dog Tia is aware that Tia is a sweet and loving American Pit Bull Terrier from a great lineage of that breed.
My son in law has a garage and yard where he parks and maintains heavy equipment and is also the area rescue person for displaced pit bulls and those that he breeds.
I can tell you that these dogs each have their own heated dog houses and are kept apart from each other.
I visit them from time to time with a large bag of milk bones in hand, walk among them, and when you get to know them and their ways they will greet you lovingly. I was once nipped by one who left a purple dent on my hand but did not break the skin. I later found out that this dog was taken in off the street, and had once been abused, and feared a hand being extended out at him. If I put the milk bone extended out with my hand at my side he would come over and gently pull it out of my hand.
I don't know what evidence they have to present beyond a reasonable doubt that the dogs were inherently vicious, and that the owners were were guilty of gross negligence to the degree that it became criminal in the circumstances of that case.
As I dog lover, I admit my prejudice.
What do you think about this case?
Alan K