CenTexSports
05-30-2008, 08:38 AM
LILLIAN`S LAW AT WORK 2008-05-30
(BRECKENRIDGE) Two people are charged with second-degree felonies in the dog-mauling death of a 7-year-old Breckenridge child who was killed by their pit bulls.
The Stephens County Sheriff`s Office arrested 45-year-old Jack Smith and 27-year-old Crystal Watson, who are charged with dog attack resulting in a death, which is punishable by 20 years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine.
Both were jailed in lieu of $250,000 bond each.
Tanner Joshua Monk, 7, of Breckenridge died May 18 after he was attacked by pit bulls while playing outside near his rural home.
Two of the put bulls were shot on site, while two more remain at an animal shelter.
The case was brought under “Lillian’s Law,” a tough new dog-bite law that took effect in September. Under House Bill 1355, the owner of a dog that causes injury or death can be prosecuted if the owner is found to be criminally negligent in failing to prevent the dog from escaping.
The third-degree felony charge can bring a sentence of two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
If the victim dies, a dog owner can be charged with a second-degree felony, which could bring up to 20 years in prison.
The law was named for Lillian Stiles, a 76-year-old Thorndale woman who was killed by a pack of six escaped pit bull-Rottweiller mixed-breed dogs in 2005. The owner of the dogs was found not guilty of criminally negligent homicide.
In the past, owners of dogs that escaped and attacked typically were prosecuted only if the dog had previously been declared dangerous, and the offense was only a class C or class B misdemeanor.
http://www.kmil.com/story.php?id=3359
(BRECKENRIDGE) Two people are charged with second-degree felonies in the dog-mauling death of a 7-year-old Breckenridge child who was killed by their pit bulls.
The Stephens County Sheriff`s Office arrested 45-year-old Jack Smith and 27-year-old Crystal Watson, who are charged with dog attack resulting in a death, which is punishable by 20 years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine.
Both were jailed in lieu of $250,000 bond each.
Tanner Joshua Monk, 7, of Breckenridge died May 18 after he was attacked by pit bulls while playing outside near his rural home.
Two of the put bulls were shot on site, while two more remain at an animal shelter.
The case was brought under “Lillian’s Law,” a tough new dog-bite law that took effect in September. Under House Bill 1355, the owner of a dog that causes injury or death can be prosecuted if the owner is found to be criminally negligent in failing to prevent the dog from escaping.
The third-degree felony charge can bring a sentence of two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
If the victim dies, a dog owner can be charged with a second-degree felony, which could bring up to 20 years in prison.
The law was named for Lillian Stiles, a 76-year-old Thorndale woman who was killed by a pack of six escaped pit bull-Rottweiller mixed-breed dogs in 2005. The owner of the dogs was found not guilty of criminally negligent homicide.
In the past, owners of dogs that escaped and attacked typically were prosecuted only if the dog had previously been declared dangerous, and the offense was only a class C or class B misdemeanor.
http://www.kmil.com/story.php?id=3359