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Tuesday, February 12, 2008
No Plea Deal Offered in Multiple Losco Township Dog Mauling Case
No Plea Deal Offered for Diane CockrellLivingston County, MI - In what many people refer to as a "multiple homicide," prosecutor David Morse has refused to place a plea bargain on the table for Diane Cockrell.
Police say on September 13, 2007 four American bulldogs belonging to 52-year-old Cockrell, of Fowlerville, mauled to death Edward Gierlach, who lived in Fowlerville, at his cottage on Crofoot Road in Iosco Township, and Cheryl Harper while taking a walk along the same road.
Ms. Cockrell now faces two felony charges of owning dangerous animals causing the deaths of Edward Gierlach and Cheryl Harper. An expert recently testified at a preliminary hearing that bite marks matched impressions of four dogs identified by name as Cowgirl, Cheyenne, Millie and Bozo.
Defense disputes bite evidence:
The attorney representing a Mr. Cockrell, Daniel Blank of Bingham Farms, intends to challenge the reliability of canine bite mark evidence. He claims the evidence lacks scientific reliability. Apparently bite mark evidence from humans has been discredited at least twice in the similar cases in the Detroit Metro area over the past five years.
Related articles:
07/27/08: Coverage of the Double Dog Attack Fatalities in Livingston
3 comments:
| 2/12/2008 1:35 PM | Flag
While I definitely think the dog owner should go to jail, it will be of small consolation to the families of the victims.
I agree with punishing dog owners, don't get me wrong...but ultimately, society should be focusing on preventing these tragedies before they happen. I think the current attitude toward dog attack victims is barbaric...that serious dog attacks and maulings are simply unfortunate accidents that could never be predicted or prevented; kind of like being struck by lightening. Until we regulate dog breeding and ownership, as well as punish owners of dogs that attack people and other domestic pets, we will continue to see an increse in tragedies like this.
| 2/12/2008 4:25 PM | Flag
david morse, please continue to stand your ground and pursue the maximum penalty for this piece of garbage. if ever there was person that needed to fry, it is diane cockrell. she should spend EVERY day of her 30 yr sentence in a prison cell.
| 2/13/2008 3:58 PM | Flag
Good luck trying to prove that the bite marks are inconclusive. Errr, why aren't we hearing talk abut DNA or dog stomach content evidence?
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