Posted on 10/03/2014 10:56:40 AM PDT by jazusamo
LANCASTER, Calif. (AP) - A pit bull owner convicted of second-degree murder after his dogs fatally mauled a woman was sentenced Friday to 15 years to life in prison.
Alex Donald Jackson, 31, was convicted last month in the death of Pamela Devitt. The 63-year-old retiree was taking a morning stroll in the high desert town of Littlerock when four of Jackson's dogs leaped over a fence and attacked her in the street.
She was alone, didn't have a phone and no one was nearby. By the time help arrived, she had been bitten 150 to 200 times from head to toe and an arm was severed. She died from blood loss.
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
I hear you and am sure there’ll be an appeal or appeals.
I don’t know that this idiot was as bad as the Knoller woman in the San Francisco mauling.
See post #17.
I’m sad for the poor lady,but heartened by the fact that the”BLAME” for this tragedy was fixedd Properly on the dog’s Owner!!!
My recollection was they were a real nasty sort.
This case begs the question what is considered reasonable restraint when it comes to dogs in general?
Is having a fence with a beware of dog sign enough?
Would an invisible fence count?
How high must the fence be to be considered reasonable? Must dogs be on a chain if outside in their yard?
Must dogs be kept inside a kennel?
It would be a shame if you "caved" and gave up on your walks like that.
Ever consider arming yourself for your strolls?
Lead is also effective against two-legged varmints.
Regards,
We had a Shar Pei who was a real sweetheart......but he could go through a wood fence if he really wanted to and he hated other animals. We made sure he was supervised even when he was in our yard behind the fence. We also checked the fence periodically to make sure it was still intact and would keep him in. Of course we are responsible pet owners. ;)
What would you call it if I wired my front doorknob with 10,000 volts, then hung a sign there saying: WARNING! HIGH-VOLTAGE! LETHAL DANGER! DO NOT TOUCH!
Would I be guilty of murder if someone - a competent adult who could read and understand the sign - nevertheless scoffed and grabbed that doorknob?
Or would I be guilty only of Manslaughter?
How about if I set up the high-voltage rig INSIDE my house - so that only someone who broke down the door illegally would be zapped?
Regards,
Setting aside for a moment the question of whether a death due to failure to control one's dog should be viewed as Manslaughter or 2nd Degree Murder:
I would say that the size of the sign, the height of the fence, and the strength of the chain would all have to be sufficient to protect passers-by except in the case of unforeseeable "Acts of God." - Otherwise, the dog-owner would be legally liable for the death.
Regards,
What would you call it if I wired my front doorknob with 10,000 volts, then hung a sign there saying: WARNING! HIGH-VOLTAGE! LETHAL DANGER! DO NOT TOUCH!
;-)
Yeah - and if it helps any: The dog's name is "Barky."
Regards,
That’s an electronic “Hurri-cane!”
I’m not. I don’t like the pit bull breed and it’s derivatives. But this is a horrible decision, horrible sentence. His sentence shouldn’t have been any longer than 5 years with parole eligibility after 3, combined with a very substantial monetary penalty.
Even if I were armed I don’t think I would have shot the dog. The dog was playing outside with two young boys. I’d not like to shoot a dog in front of these two boys. The oldest might have been 10 and neither were capable of fully controlling the dog.
The dog did not actually attack but kept making runs at my Dane who was going berserk trying to defend herself. The young boys would get between their dog and mine and get him back a bit but then he’d get around and make another run.
I was able to keep them apart but at the expense of four blown out tendons. Controlling a 140 pound Great Dane can put a bit of stress on your hand.
Containment, aka Control, is a basic principle of responsible dog ownership.
While the principle applies to all dogs, it must be tailored to suit the specific dog.
As this case shows it is not the fact of having a fence that is important,
it is having a fence high enough to contain your specific dog.
Your right to own a dog does not extend to the line where it deprives others
of their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
If you deprive others of their rights,
whether you’re a ne’er-do-well or a ‘good’ person,
whether you do so on purpose or through ignorance,
you will be, and should be, punished in a manner
that reflects the seriousness of your actions.
Well said, kanawa.
I thought of you a few days ago. If you havn’t already seen an article about a hunter killing a wounded big black bear with a knife here’s a link.
Thanks, jazusamo.
“This case begs the question what is considered reasonable restraint when it comes to dogs in general?
Is having a fence with a beware of dog sign enough?”
I’ve read that you should get “dog in yard” or something similar because “Beware of Dog” has been used to infer the owner knew the dog was dangerous. Of couse..the website that had that tip didn’t have a case to point to.
We live in a nice upscale neighborhood and I always felt safe from pitt bulls, no one around here kept them. then a while back I was driving on our street and saw a man walking a very large, solid white pitt bull on a strong leash.
I stopped to talk to him and he said the pitt was a rescue and seemed to be quite aggressive. . He didn’t say vicious but that is what I surmised.
I didn’t know the man but I wondered (and didn’t ask) what he was thinking by keeping that dog.
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