Woman whose dogs mauled neighbor sentenced to 15 years to life

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

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