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Purveyor

(29,876 posts) Fri Oct 3, 2014, 09:07 PM Oct 2014

Dog Owner Gets At Least 15 Years In Fatal Mauling [View all]

Source: Associated Press

LANCASTER, Calif. (AP) -- The morning walk that would be the last of Pamela Devitt's life was more than just a routine stroll. It was part of the retiree's effort to keep fit for her golden years with a young grandson.

The fitness regimen and the plan to move out of state with her husband to be closer to their son's family ended tragically when four pit bulls attacked, biting her more than 150 times. On Friday, the dogs' owner saw his future plans evaporate when he was sentenced in Los Angeles County Superior Court to 15 years to life in prison.

The rare second-degree murder conviction in a dog mauling had come because Alex Jackson repeatedly ignored complaints about his dogs from horseback riders, neighbors and a postman. Prosecutors said he was well aware of the danger they posed and did nothing about it.

Devitt, 63, hardly stood a chance when the dogs leaped over Jackson's fence and attacked her in May 2013, on the home stretch of her two-mile walk in the high desert town of Littlerock, about 60 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DOG_MAULING_MURDER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-10-03-19-58-58

105 replies

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Dog Owner Gets At Least 15 Years In Fatal Mauling [View all] Purveyor Oct 2014 OP

I have no sympathy for him at all. n/t RKP5637 Oct 2014 #1

+1 (nt) NYC_SKP Oct 2014 #3

When will these dogs, bred for aggression, be banned? nt valerief Oct 2014 #2

Oh come on, they are like guns... awoke_in_2003 Oct 2014 #4

I'm afraid to go walking. There are two pitbulls up the street from me. valerief Oct 2014 #5

I hear you... awoke_in_2003 Oct 2014 #6

I'm amazed the pitbullsexuals aren't jumping on us now. nt valerief Oct 2014 #7

Maybe there is a awoke_in_2003 Oct 2014 #8

Some men do harm too. So we should call all men ticking time bombs and ban them all. DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #27

i lived next to 2 pits for a decade. squared off on me a couple times. took out the rottweiler seabeyond Oct 2014 #55

You can throw good pitbull stories at me all day. There still is little reason to have those dogs brewens Oct 2014 #9

Unless you want a sweet, loving dog who loves all living beings, like all the pit bulls I have known DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #29

I've never met a pit bull owner who wasn't a wanna-be tough guy XemaSab Oct 2014 #53

My best friend growing up had a Red Nose Pitbull. IVoteDFL Oct 2014 #56

So you're thinking of the dog as a potential weapon? XemaSab Oct 2014 #57

There isn't anything wrong with having a dog for protection. IVoteDFL Oct 2014 #61

I have known a couple of dozen pitties over the years and none of them owned by wannabe tough guys DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #65

almost half of all fatal dog attacks are attributed to pit bull breeds backwoodsbob Oct 2014 #101

Why did they need to be foreclosed? Did no one report them and have them shut down? DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #26

I agree, dog fighting is a crime & it is criminal animal abuse. Call the police. Sunlei Oct 2014 #52

I don't know. I notified the police when two of the dogs valerief Oct 2014 #85

selective breeding works KurtNYC Oct 2014 #95

This was not about pit bulls snapping. They were TRAINED to attack to protect his drug business. DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #25

People are the problem, as usual, not the dogs! n/t RKP5637 Oct 2014 #37

Thank you! And this story illustrates that. Meth lab owner trains them to attack and probably gives DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #74

bullshit backwoodsbob Oct 2014 #102

Do you have ANY idea how difficult it is to train a dog to attack? Drahthaardogs Oct 2014 #96

Bred for LOYALTY Hari Seldon Oct 2014 #12

Bwahahahaha! Very funny! valerief Oct 2014 #13

Horrific that you blame all for the actions of a few. The word for that is "bigot." DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #30

Nope, it's called BREEDING. nt valerief Oct 2014 #41

And again, most pitties are NOT bred to be attack dogs. And they do not attack DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #66

Actually the entire breed WAS bred to fight...thus the name... EX500rider Oct 2014 #69

No, they were originally bred to be nanny dogs and take care of children. The "pit bull" label was DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #75

here's the wikki page on Pitbull breeds... EX500rider Oct 2014 #77

Children should never be left alone around any dog XemaSab Oct 2014 #91

Some pit bulls are bred for aggression;some men are too. So we should ban both pit bulls and men. DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #23

Tell me more about rhis eugenic program that breeds aggresiveness AngryAmish Oct 2014 #28

I think you meant to post this under some other post? DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #31

I wouldn't think so, you claimed that some men are bred for agressiveness. Thor_MN Oct 2014 #90

You know what they were also bred for? To **NOT** be agressive toward humans. baldguy Oct 2014 #73

Well said, baldguy! DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #76

The stupidest people in America bluestateguy Oct 2014 #10

Good list! nt valerief Oct 2014 #11

It's longer than that. I can see 4 right here. n/t jtuck004 Oct 2014 #15

+1 JoeyT Oct 2014 #16

+1 DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #33

I've had pitbulls and will again. secondvariety Oct 2014 #21

Hear, hear. DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #24

Come back and ask this Plucketeer Oct 2014 #46

Not all secondvariety Oct 2014 #59

I'm guessing secondvariety does not train pitties to attack, as did the meth lab owner in this story DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #67

Why on earth can people not keep their dogs confined TorchTheWitch Oct 2014 #14

He didn't keep them well confined because he kept them to protect his drug business. DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #34

I said "people" not him specifically TorchTheWitch Oct 2014 #38

You're right, where it happened isn't relevant. Thank you for all that you said. DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #79

This was purposeful training of dogs to "protect" his illegal activities etherealtruth Oct 2014 #39

I said he was a murderous asshole TorchTheWitch Oct 2014 #40

i am with you ... this guy is as guilty as if he set land mines etherealtruth Oct 2014 #42

And I'm guessing he probably also gave them meth, or gunpowder, which is what they do to make the DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #81

horrific ... animal abuse , murder, criminal enterprise etherealtruth Oct 2014 #86

"Any dog can be dangerous in whatever they consider is the right circumstances" EX500rider Oct 2014 #48

never heard of the Pomeranian that killed a baby? TorchTheWitch Oct 2014 #87

Yes! Some people don't get that their dog roaming free is also IN danger! DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #80

So true! People who don't confine and leash their dogs endanger the public AND their dogs! DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #78

The sentence is 15 *to life*. He won't even come up for parole for 15 years, and he won't tblue37 Oct 2014 #104

not good enough TorchTheWitch Oct 2014 #105

This has got to be the lamest bunch of replies I've ever seen on DU. C Moon Oct 2014 #17

it's not about the dogs, it's about the owners Enrique Oct 2014 #18

I agree—but read through the thread above, you'll understand what I'm talking about... C Moon Oct 2014 #19

Clearly there are some very sweet pit bulls. Chemisse Oct 2014 #20

^^^THIS^^^. This is the problem with pitbulls in America today. valerief Oct 2014 #43

I agree, but I'm cautious around every unfamiliar dog. phylny Oct 2014 #32

one should always be cautious around any unfamiliar dog TorchTheWitch Oct 2014 #47

I agree. I know a lot of pit bulls, and they are ALL sweet and harmless. To insist they are DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #35

Seriously, animals that are potentially lethal to humans ... onwardsand upwards Oct 2014 #22

And euthanize anyone of any breed who might be harmful. Hey, ANYONE could snap and become dangerous. DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #36

You keep proving you're a pitbull owner. nt valerief Oct 2014 #45

I actually have a sweet, loving pit bull in foster care. He is kind to everyone including cats DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #68

Not everyONE, but every (non-human) animal that is potentially lethal to humans. onwardsand upwards Oct 2014 #58

Again, if we are going to generalize about dangerous living beings, humans can be dangerous too DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #70

Sigh ... onwardsand upwards Oct 2014 #93

I think sterilization of the breed might be a better idea. EX500rider Oct 2014 #49

I agree with this. onwardsand upwards Oct 2014 #64

So basically, any dog larger than, say, a Chihuahua? mantis49 Oct 2014 #54

There's a line somewhere, and some smart and informed person should draw it. onwardsand upwards Oct 2014 #60

The owner is 100% at fault here. This woman and the dogs had to pay for his carelessness logosoco Oct 2014 #44

Most of us aren't as worried about dog bites as we are... EX500rider Oct 2014 #50

You're making WAY too much sense for certain people to comprehend. nt valerief Oct 2014 #51

I totally agree. In the very small percentage of pit bulls who attack, it's always a human who DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #71

So was it Darla Napora or her husband who trained their dog to attack? XemaSab Oct 2014 #92

The dog that killed Darla Napora was a rescue. Heidi Oct 2014 #97

So rescue pit bulls can't be trusted? XemaSab Oct 2014 #98

Did I say that? Heidi Oct 2014 #99

When you own dogs that are powerful enough to kill you have to extra vigilant Marrah_G Oct 2014 #62

That is so true. Chemisse Oct 2014 #88

I do wish people would stop breeding pit bulls, but also stop breeding ALL dogs and cats! Arugula Latte Oct 2014 #63

Thank you! We have enough rescue animals for all who want a pet. Why breed more??? DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #83

From that article: mahatmakanejeeves Oct 2014 #72

I remember that. SO glad Knoller was convicted of murder. Dog was a Presa Canario, not a pittie but DesertDiamond Oct 2014 #84

sure. but where is the enforcement. tomp Oct 2014 #94

The Presa Canario is a rough breed, too. toby jo Oct 2014 #100

I can't wait to walk my pet lion down the streets of L.A. U4ikLefty Oct 2014 #82

Bingo! "My big cat wouldn't hurt a fly." Until it does. Cuz it's bred that way. nt valerief Oct 2014 #103

From the article: George II Oct 2014 #89