Ruling Expected Soon in Dog-Mauling Appeal

Article

Posted Apr 16, 2007, 08:10 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss

A dog-mauling case pending before the California Supreme Court is expected to determine when an unintended death can be a murder, the Los Angeles Times reports.

A ruling is expected soon, the newspaper says.

The state contends dog owner Marjorie Knoller was aware her vicious dogs were potential killers. As a result, state attorneys maintain, she was guilty of “implied malice” murder for her dogs’ fatal 2001 attack on Diane Whipple.

A judge overturned a jury verdict of second-degree murder but let stand a conviction for involuntary manslaughter. Knoller, a former lawyer, served 33 months in jail for that charge, but could be returned to prison if the high court reinstates the murder conviction.