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Monday, December 8, 2008


Expert, James Crosby, Testifies in Aurora Fighting Breed Ban

Expert Blames Owners for Attacks
Aurora, CO - In a recent blog post, we wrote about the Aurora Fighting Breed ban. Last month, Chief U.S. District Judge Wiley Y. Daniel, ruled in favor of the City of Aurora. A pit bull owner named Florence Sasek, along with the American Canine Foundation (ACF), sued the city saying the ban was "unconstitutional" and "vague." James Crosby was called on to testify as an expert witness for the plaintiffs. Crosby is listed as an expert on the ACF website. Judge Daniels rejected the plaintiff's claim and presumably Crosby's testimony.

Back in July, DogsBite.org wrote a blog post about this expert witness. James Crosby is a pit bull owner and is aligned with various pit bull special interest groups, including the ACF, National Canine Research Council and Best Friends. According to the DenverChannel, Crosby testified in Daniel's court that dog attacks happen because of the owner, not the breed. Sometime after July and prior to the recent hearing, content was removed from Crosby's website that indicated an awareness that pit bulls display unique behaviors when they attack.

Investigating Serious and Fatal Dog Attacks:
A Suggested Protocol, by James W. Crosby

The current protocol document located on Crosby's website (click left navigation: Investigative Protocol), previously had a section titled "Breed-Specific Legislation," which addressed behavioral differences that pit bulls display when they attack. DogsBite.org has included portions of this section below. The original protocol document is still in Google cache and can be accessed at our Scribd page as well. We have underlined areas for emphasis, but otherwise copied his original text exactly (including typos):
"Enter now the Pit Bull, and other breeds specifically selected by Man to fight each other. These animals have several concerning behavioral difference from most other canines. When they fight, human intervention has selected for animals that do not turn off, and do not stop fighting until one, or both, are dead. There is no surrender for these animals. A fully submissive body posture is no more than another opportunity for them to disembowel their adversary.

As a corollary to this, these dogs seem to have a shorter negotiation sequence. Many times we hear of a Pit Bull or similar dog that “…just went off…” The expected precursors to a full fight seem to be lacking, much like the quick interactions we see with some teens and young adults these days; one insults another, and the first response is to “…pop a cap…” into the offender. Even popular Pit Bull sites on the Internet admit that fights between Pit Bulls can occur with little or no warning."

"...These dogs already have a propensity for tenacity and continued aggression based on years of selective breeding. One than takes and, through fear, mistreatment, or misguided training, positively reinforces the display of aggressive behavior towards humans without the establishment of a clear set of controls. This animal has now learned to manipulate its environment, to its own benefit and sometimes safety, by directing aggressions towards people, with a genetically selected lack of an off button. A bad situation has now become tragically dangerous."
Part of Aurora's justification for its ban likely relied on evidence that pit bulls show little warning prior to an attack (Lockwood Pg 133). Many cities agree that the "sudden" nature of a pit bull attack presents a grave threat. Crosby's past writings reflected the same "little or no warning" behavior. He also stated that pit bulls "do not turn off." Selective breeding for tenacity -- the ability to keep attacking even after serious pain is inflicted upon it -- is another reason why cities regulate pit bulls. Crosby's writings addressed this aspect as well.

The argument to regulate pit bulls is not about why they attack (bad ownership or otherwise), it's about how a pit bull attack differs from an attack by other dog breeds, and the substantial threat this poses to members of the community.

James Crosby is also the animal control manager in Panama City, Florida.

Related articles:
12/01/08: Zupf Comments on Aurora's Recent Federal Ruling
11/20/08: Aurora, Colorado Fighting Breed Ban Goes to District Court
11/03/08: Flashback: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Refuses Care of Pit Bulls
07/14/08: Comment: The Anatomy of a Whitewash, Jim Crosby
01/30/08: A Two Year Review of Aurora, Colorado's Pit Bull Ban

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30 comments:

Anonymous Jimmy O  |  12/08/2008 2:53 PM  |  Flag  
Indisputable evidence that Crosby is a hired gun for the pit nutter lobby.

The emperors are losing their clothes.

Anonymous Annod  |  12/08/2008 3:39 PM  |  Flag  
I would like to know if he actually came to believe this drivel OR was he paid to believe this drivel? In essence, has he been brainwashed or just sold himself out?

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/08/2008 4:27 PM  |  Flag  
It's unclear, but he certainly goes to ridiculous lengths to blame the victim. If only Mary Bernal had not been holding the dachsund in her hand, well, she'd still be alive today...if only the dachsund had not "supplanted" the pit bull, well then, the pit bull would not have been jealous and KILLED a person...

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/08/2008 5:50 PM  |  Flag  
I would pay $1000 to be in the courtroom to watch this document appear when he is on the stand.

Anonymous Felony  |  12/08/2008 5:54 PM  |  Flag  
The MaulerAnalyst is brilliant and worthy of repeating:

The Crosby Analysis
.....The pit bull is not to blame for the attack that killed a person and violently injured another because Taz was "supplanted" by the dachshund. When a dog feels jealous, it's perfectly okay to attack and KILL.
.....It's Mary's fault that she picked up the dachshund to stop the dogs from "scrapping" and screamed in fear. Mary should have known that to "scream" in the vicinity of a pit bull is an invitation to attack and KILL.
.....Mary also should have known that continued screams would only trigger the already explosive Taz to attack more violently. Regardless of the fact that at this time, her scalp was likely being ripped OFF.
.....Ms. Macias never should have picked up the shovel to save her sister-in-law. According to Crosby, that was the nail in the coffin. The "screaming, thrashing" woman was bad enough. But when the owner began to hit her dog with a shovel, Mary's DEATH was a no-brainer. (It was reported at the time that Ms. Macias suffered at least one thumb loss as she tried to pry the dog off of Mary).
.....Crosby excuses Taz's "sudden aggression" on a possible neurological disease despite this breed specific behavior. This deduction is from the seizures that emerged after being repeatedly bashed with a shovel. The McKnight Brain Institute should be informed that "sudden aggression" is indisputably a genetic trait in pit bulls.
.....Finally, notice how the pit bull owner in Crosby shines through as the misunderstood, man-killing pit bull is lovingly referred to as "Taz" throughout the comment, and the expendable dachshund is referred to as "little dog" and "the dachshund."

The Pit Bull community relies heavily on self-created dog authorities to steer the dangerous dog debate away from the breed issue. Mr. Crosby’s own website states that he does not charge communities for his investigations, begging the question: Who is paying?

Yes, that is an absolutely brilliant breakdown of the "expert's" work. So nice of him to share it with us non-pit nutters.

People actually pay for this shite?

Crosby is an arrogant ass who has sold his soul to the ONLY DOG THAT MATTERS.

Anonymous Felony  |  12/08/2008 9:04 PM  |  Flag  
"I would pay $1000 to be in the courtroom to watch this document appear when he is on the stand."

DITTO!!!!!!!

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/08/2008 9:44 PM  |  Flag  
It would be be interesting to see an examination of his financial records.

Is his business licensed? Is he filing tax paperwork and accounting for "donations" and income?

Anonymous ernie  |  12/09/2008 12:23 AM  |  Flag  
I guess we now have a better understanding of why Mr Crosby is no longer in law enforcement. He lacks the necessary moral fiber for the job. Clearly, his skills are more aligned with a lobbyist.

Anonymous Karen  |  12/09/2008 2:50 AM  |  Flag  
Sad pathetic man. How do you sleep at night?

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/09/2008 3:09 AM  |  Flag  
Crosby still is in Law enforcement...He is the Animal Control director in Bay County Fl!
Their new enlightened dog law allows a dog to kill two domesticated animals before being declared dangerous.

The Nutters are working overtime creating faux experts spewing garbage about dog aggression. It is an attempt to lower society's expectation of normal canine conduct and be more accomodating to the pit bulls they are selling.

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/09/2008 7:07 AM  |  Flag  
First time I had seen the analysis of the McCurry death.

Whitewash Jimmy postulates that the man was killed due to taking drugs prior to trying to purchase this misunderstood leg humper.


I swear, these analyses are not written for the benefit of the public, they are written to keep the pit dupes motivated and sending money to the pit lobbiests.

Anonymous Felony  |  12/09/2008 11:17 AM  |  Flag  
Please post a link to they McCurry death mentioned above.

Anonymous ernie  |  12/09/2008 11:27 AM  |  Flag  
With 'Whitewash Jimmy' out of the way, maybe the ACF can start grooming one of the other upcoming stars in the pit bull world to become the next court recognized dog behavior/aggression expert.
Suggestions;
1) Mary Harwelik with her 20+ yrs as a dog trainer (certified since 2007)
2) Julie Perry, the 29 year old woman from Mississippi with 30+ yrs as a veterinarian.

Jere Alexander would be my first choice but no one can find her.

Anonymous ernie  |  12/09/2008 11:28 AM  |  Flag  
"Crosby still is in Law enforcement...He is the Animal Control director in Bay County Fl!"

Well, I just don't see AC as an arm of law enforcement. They have become social workers.

Anonymous ernie  |  12/09/2008 11:32 AM  |  Flag  
Too bad your site doesn't bump stories up to the top when they are commented on. I would like this one alive for awhile.

Anonymous Trigger  |  12/09/2008 11:36 AM  |  Flag  
What Happened:
McCurry and Cunningham drove to the residence of Firas Beseisso to inquire about the sale of a large, mature pit bull. The three were talking when the pit bull, Dax, broke free from the owner and attacked McCurry and Cunningham. Cunningham was attacked first but she was able to get to the roof of her car for safety as McCurry and Beseisso attempted to restrain the dog from further attacks. While attempting to restrain the pit bull, it attacked McCurry, biting him over 90 percent of his body. The fatal bite was to his neck.
http://www.click2houston.com/news/10186593/detail.html

Animal People News:
However, Firas Beseisso, 22, of Willis, another Houston suburb, was charged with a Class A misdemeanor count of possessing a dangerous dog, after his pit bull killed David "Ted" McCurry, 41, on October 29, 2006. Recounted the Houston Chronicle, "McCurry and Kimberly Cunningham, 19, had gone to Beseisso's home to look at the pit bull because they wanted to buy a dog for home protection."
http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/07/1/dogattackslawmakers1_07.html

Crosby's Version:
On top of that, Drix was protective because of his owner’s disability, and the dog slept each night on his owner’s chest. The bottom line, Crosby said, “is the dog was looking out for the owner and making the decisions because (his owner) was unable to. The dog was taking care of the human.” For some reason, Crosby said, “the dog perceived this visitor -- who had shot up some sort of intravenous drug shortly before he arrived and had needles and some other drugs on him -- as a threat and it set this dog off. The dog’s response was over the top.”
http://network.bestfriends.org/sdsl/news/9874.html

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/09/2008 11:36 AM  |  Flag  
It's at the Best Friends link in the story(5th link).

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/09/2008 11:47 AM  |  Flag  
So BEST FRIENDS is supporting Jim Crosby?

Clearly they have gone completely down the toilet, and have now decided to alienate the average joe out there with a radical who says that people who get killed by a pit bull deserve it

Who sold Best Friends to the breeders?

By the way, Michael Mountain looks like he got tossed out of Best Friends. He is no longer president.

Was he the problem, or did someone else get him out of the way in order to head Best Friends down the breeder and dog fighter lobby path?

Mountain was publishing propaganda from this friend of the dog fighters http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Center_for_Consumer_Freedom and http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=NAIA_Trust in the magazine, but maybe he wasn't the only problem?

Anonymous Annod  |  12/09/2008 11:54 AM  |  Flag  
“Much to the amazement of the police, I was able to put a lead on Drix without any problem,” Crosby said.

While two trainers, armed with Taser stun guns and double poles, as well as an officer with a loaded tranquilizer gun and armed sheriff’s deputies, stood ready, Drix walked into the run and allowed Crosby to approach him."


Nothing like doing a job with your hands with guns, tasers and catch poles nearby to boost your ego.
Yep, lion tamer syndrome!

Anonymous a snotty spoiled princess  |  12/09/2008 12:00 PM  |  Flag  
"“The dog’s owner is developmentally impaired, with poor decision-making skills and is illiterate,” she said.

Um... isn't this the main criteria of pit bull ownership?

Anonymous Trigger  |  12/09/2008 12:40 PM  |  Flag  
BestFriends and Crosby are tied at the hip! Crosby was the expert called for the Amicus Brief to get the Vick dogs!
http://www.thedogpress.com/SideEffects/0710_Vick_Amicus-Brief-090207.htm

Mr. Crosby advises that temperament testing of fighting dogs is not measured in minutes but in weeks. A dog which has been used in fighting cannot be evaluated in the noisy environment of a kennel surrounded by a chorus of barking dogs in open view cages. This environment is usually too stressful and almost guaranteed to provoke either fear or aggression in a dog which has been traumatized. As a result the outcome is almost predetermined. The dog will react badly and will fail the temperament test and will be put to death. Because of their traumatic experiences, these dogs require a highly specialized form of assessment which few shelters are equipped to provide.

Anonymous Felony  |  12/09/2008 12:47 PM  |  Flag  
"The facts of the case as Crosby and Woodard learned them are based upon their investigation and in-depth interviews with witnesses as well as input from law enforcement and animal control."

SINCE WHEN ARE THE STATEMENTS MADE BY A PERSON WHO IS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND LIKELY TO BE NAMED AS A DEFENDANT, TAKEN AS FACTS BY THE INVESTIGATORS. (GETTING EASIER TO SEE WHY CROSBY IS NO LONGER A COP ISN'T IT?)

"The dog, a young pit bull named Drix (who was also called Dax), regularly greeted visitors to the house, usually young people in their 20s, by humping their legs. “Drix was used to being pushed away,” Woodard said. “The dog tolerated people pushing him off.”"

YEP, MORE "FACTS". SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE TWO WHITEWASHERS.

INTERESTINGLY, I DID NOT SEE ANY "FACTS" DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE STATEMENT OF THE 19 YR. OLD WOMAN WHO ESCAPED THE ATTACK. PERHAPS NOTHING THAT SHE HAD TO SAY SUPPORTED THE PIT NUTTER CASE?

"When Drix ran out of the house to meet the new person, “something caused the dog to go for the man,” Woodard said. “It was all about that man and very personal to him. He had just shot drugs with needles. He was high.”

"For some reason, Crosby said, “the dog perceived this visitor -- who had shot up some sort of intravenous drug shortly before he arrived and had needles and some other drugs on him -- as a threat and it set this dog off. The dog’s response was over the top.”"

BUT THE DOG AND THE DOG'S OWNER ALSO USE NARCOTICS!! WHY WOULD THIS DOG VIEW THAT MAN AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN ONE OF HIS HOMEYS?

What an absolute shame, that NO where does there exist a TRULY IMPARTIAL EXPERT on dog aggression and fatal attacks. It is so obvious that Jim Crosby and his new sidekick, Sherry Woodard have an agenda, my head is spinning. Unbelievable that they have not been discredited!

We need the transcript of the Aurora case, NOW!

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/09/2008 12:52 PM  |  Flag  
The so-called "rehabilitated" dogs now live in an above ground cemetery (at Best Friends). Quite a life, as BF rakes in cash on their behalf.

Anonymous Jimmy O  |  12/09/2008 1:40 PM  |  Flag  
This is my understanding of how the criminal justice system operates:

1) information is collected by investigators (officers, detectives, investigators etc)

2) that information is evaluated by prosecutors

3) the information is then presented to a judge/jury and they are the ones who determine FACTS.

I am I wrong? Does it appear that Crosby et al have elevated their role in this process? At least for these two particular cases broken down by Whitewash Jimmy?

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/09/2008 2:10 PM  |  Flag  
Whitewash Jimmy's role seems to be:

Make up a story which;

1.Places blame on the victim
2.Places blame of the owner
3.Whitewash the fact that a dog bred for centuries to bite and shake things to death actually bit and shook something to death.

Anonymous annod  |  12/09/2008 4:29 PM  |  Flag  
"The so-called "rehabilitated" dogs now live in an above ground cemetery (at Best Friends). Quite a life, as BF rakes in cash on their behalf."

And if Winograd gets his way, we will have an explosion of above ground cemeteries. Got to wonder about the logic behind this mentality with the worst employment report in 160 years plus massive home foreclosures followed by record numbers of family pets being dumped at the shelters, left in abandoned homes and dumped on the streets PLUS the donations for animal rescue being at an all time low with pit nutters screaming about saving all of these fight bust dogs.
This system can't support itself much longer.

Anonymous Felony  |  12/09/2008 4:41 PM  |  Flag  
"Whitewash Jimmy's role seems to be:

Make up a story which;

1.Places blame on the victim
2.Places blame of the owner
3.Whitewash the fact that a dog bred for centuries to bite and shake things to death actually bit and shook something to death."

Bravo, very succinctly stated not to mention witty.

I understand why people just sign anonymous (it is quick and easy, I used to do it too) but sometimes I would like to be able to credit some of these really good comments, like the one above.
Please consider making up an on line identity.

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/10/2008 2:20 PM  |  Flag  
Best Friends is out of their minds for getting involved with people like this

It makes them look like idiots and nuts

They obviously are money-hungry but they are selling off their future if they stay involved with people like Crosby and Winograd

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/10/2008 2:24 PM  |  Flag  
Found this on Best Friends

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2682018/Best-Friends-Animal-Society-Articles-of-Incorporation

Why are they registering with Louisiana? Don't really understand this page, but it interesting tracking the cult history

Anonymous Anonymous  |  12/10/2008 5:41 PM  |  Flag  
Very interesting.

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