Woman whose dogs mauled neighbor sentenced to 15 years to life

SAN FRANCISCO -- An attorney whose dogs mauled her neighbor to death in a gruesome attack that received national attention was sentenced this morning to 15 years to life in prison for the 2001 murder of lacrosse coach Dianne Whipple.

Marjorie Knoller was originally sentenced to four years in prison on a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter, after a judge threw out the jury's second-degree murder conviction in 2002.

Superior Court Judge James Warren said at the time that there was not enough evidence that Knoller knew her two Presa Canarios -- each weighing about 100 pounds -- would kill. One of the dogs, Hera, is pictured above.

Knoller served about half of her sentence and was paroled in 2004, later moving to Florida. But the California Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that Warren interpreted the murder statute too narrowly and said that a judge must reconsider the more serious conviction.

Last month, Superior Court Judge Charlotte Woolard reinstated the second-degree murder conviction. She sentenced Knoller Monday morning. Dennis Riordan, Knoller's attorney, said his client plans to file an appeal.

Whipple, pictured right, received more than 70 bites in the attack.

-- Maria L. LaGanga

Photos: Associated Press

Comments

[Laverde Averde]

What a terrible way to go. I personally believe all dog owners who keep their animals off a leash should be sentenced to Jail, especially those with big dogs.
People don't get that their furry bundle of joy's may scare and disgust others. Not everyone likes to be licked by a smelly germ infested mut.
It is too often now that we are reading stories of maulings and little babies being killed by dogs. There should be a ban on big aggressive dogs and their owners should be reprimanded by the law.

[Abe]

The woman should be punished but this is just ridiculous. 15 years! Drunk Drivers who are just just as careless don't get this kind of sentence.

[Robyn]

Well I'll be darned. Justice prevails after all. I am amazed! Judges should not be allowed to just toss out a jury's verdict under any circumstances. Judge James Warren ought to be recalled and then arrested for malfeasance.

[Linda Cameron]

I think that is a fair sentence. People should not have to worry about a neighbor's dog mauling them to death.

[Ewan]

Does anybody ever hear of "let the punishment fit the crime?"
This sounds more like "let the punishment fit the signal"

This a variation of the old favorite of "this will send a signal " so lets increase the punishment to please the mob as they used to do with public executions.

The grounds of she knew her dogs could kill, would fit any large dog and their owners. Are they saying this is why she owned the dogs?

Come on folks it was because of the national coverage that the fair sentence was overthrown by a supreme (kangeroo?) court. How can you be tried twice for the same crime after the fact?

[Jim]

Awesome decision, but still not long enough! She should haver received a year for each of the 70 very painful dog bites the victim received during her slow and excruciatingly painful death.

[Wit]

One life equals one life. In this case, it does not mean more death should follow. The long and short of it, nothing could suffice a life gone and the owner should be responsible for it. On the other hand, this could happen to just anybody so it is collective social responsibility to monitor pass effective laws monitoring the raising of big dangerous dogs. I agree that this kind of dogs has killing instinct. Talking about liability, the owner was mature enough to realize this and raise it with this consciousness. So she should smile and grin with this result. The family of the passed away also did nothing wrong but got their beloved taken away on carelessness of a neighbor. Just let the jurisdiction do its usual course and every one of us should learn this and not to let it happen again anywhere.

[Anthrodiva]

@Jim - she was not tried twice. She received one sentence, and then a judeg essentially suspended that and gave her a lighter punishment, was given time off for whatever and then paroled - set free with certain restrictions. Essentially, all of her freedom from the moment the jury handed down its verdict, was contigent, and she probably knew that, herself being an attorney.

[B]

Robyn,

This is the law, that is how the justice system is set up. If the judge believes that the charge was not consistent with the crime it allows the judge to throw out the ruling. This is why there are appeals and more appeals because if the judge believes the jury did not fully understand the scope of the second degree murder charge he is allowed to throw out the ruling. The judge did nothing illegal and therefore cannot be arrested for malfeasance. He actions can be labeled as misfeasance if you do not believe he is doing his job correctly but he cannot be arrested for this.

[Black Sheep]

The owner of the TWO dogs who killed that innocent woman is an attorney herself, there had been previous incidents with those dogs, and SHE KNEW they were dangerous, which is why she had them. To protect her.

She allowed them to attack her neighbor, with whom she had a known dislike for, and she really deserved the death penalty. The only reason she ONLY got 15 to life is because she's a lawyer and finagled her way out of a harsher sentence.

[Chaka]

couplea years back a bunch of skinheads killed a 7-year old girl hitting her multiple times with bats. he fault was that she looked "non-Slavic" and a potential terrorist. Those sick psycho Russian skinheads got only the third of what this woman is sentenced to. Where's the balance?