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Thursday, February 19, 2009


Judge Judy Airs Episode About Serious Pit Bull Attack

UPDATE 02/19/09: DogsBite.org has located the two-part video. In Part I, the Plaintiff Rick Szeman of Jacksonville, Florida sues pit bull owner, Kenny Waters, for his medical bills. The 911 tape of the attack is played, and photographs of the victim's injuries are shown. Judge Judy says to the Defendant, "You buy a dog with the capacity to injure, and you buy it knowing that is has the capacity to cause serious physical injury, because of the unique way that it is made, then you are responsible."





In Part II, Judy clarifies her point further with the defendant, "Did you understand what I said to you? You chose this breed of dog knowing that if it turned on you, it could cause you or someone else serious physical injury. And you bought the dog knowing that and probably for that purpose." She also asks the Defendant, "What do you think would have happened if you had a little child that was playing with a hose in the backyard?"

Judy does hone in on the "structure" of the pit bull's jaws, which is debatable. What is inarguable is the power of the pit bull's jaws and determination to "not let go." Upon learning that the Defendant is keeping one of the dog's puppies, she tells him to not have children. She says, "The dog that is currently living with you is the product of that dog; has the same DNA; has the same brain chemistry; has all the same genes. Do you get it?" She awards the Plaintiff $3,750.

02/18/09: Judge Judy: On the Docket
Los Angeles, CA - On February 17, Judge Judy aired an episode about a pit bull attack. DogsBite.org did not see the episode, but pet owners and pit bull advocates are talking about the show on various forums. Apparently, Judy used the "locking jaw" phrase, which sent pit bull advocates into a flurry. Here are some dialogs we found about the show. The first provides a summary:
(Ianhimom) "There is currently an episode of Judge Judy on that involves a pit bull attack. A father and daughter are currently estranged. The incident happened at the trailer where the 18 year old daughter lives with her 23 year old boyfriend. The boyfriend claims he warned everyone there that day that the pit bull was afraid of water so to stay away from the dog if they had the hose.

The attack resulted in some pretty serious injuries. I have to admit the 911 call was pretty upsetting. The pit bull broke his chain. The boyfriend claims that animal control told him they did not have to remove the dog because he clearly broke his chain. To exhibit his care and to be responsible he did sign the dog over to AC. I am unclear as to what the fate of this dog was.

The young couple however still have a pup from the pit bull's last litter. The judge asked the daughter how she could keep the pup knowing that the same DNA is in the pup that caused the mother to turn. And after seeing the damage done to her father. She said she didn't care, that he was like her baby and he was a good dog. The boyfriend said he didn't care he was still keeping the dog. The judge told them not to have any children until the dog was gone."

(BullyBud) "I used to DVR Judge Judy every day and after watching that episode, I will NEVER watch it and have cancelled it from my DVR."

(gazar) "Now they are in Judge Judy's court and she is giving the guy who owned the pit bull what for for having a pit bull in the first place, "because don't you know that they, have jaws that will lock down and are bound to hurt some one. How could you get this breed of dog. Don't ever have kids as long as you own a pit bull. You need to get a Chihuahua."

(WhiteDove01s) "Oh yes, I saw that yesterday after I'd already had a long day. It led to a stress headache, a rant on my LJ (link below), and a determination to never watch her show again. She should be disbarred for bringing up an urban myth (the locking jaw thing) in court as if it were fact. Judges should know better. Otherwise we're a step back to the days when they used to decide if someone was a murderer by having them touch the corpse to see if it started bleeding again.."
In the Dangerous Dogs area of our website (myth #6), we talk about this myth. A pit bull's jaw may not physically lock, but the inherent fighting trait of a pit bull is to "lock and shake." This is why we consistently read in news reports that the dog would "not let go." During the Toldeo vs. Telling trial, a videotape of a tranquilized pit bull hanging from a steel cable was shown. The dog is unconscious and still does not release. Possibly Judge Judy has seen this clip.

Related articles:
09/29/08: Break Sticks: A Tool Used to Pry Open a Pit Bull's Jaws
03/28/08: Screwdriver Used to Pry Open Pit Bull's Mouth During Attack

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14 comments:

Anonymous annod  |  2/19/2009 12:44 AM  |  Flag  
I saw the episode and unfortunately, the otherwise super intelligent Judge Judy, did go into great detail about the physiology of the locking jaw.

I agree, they lock their jaws but they do it with sheer will and determination not because they are physically different.

But the son in law to be was a real hoot.
CLASSIC PIT BULL OWNER.
Inbred stupid hillbilly, who could barely form a sentence. And those that he did manage to string together were unintelligible. I kept thinking "too bad Zupf didn't catch this one."

SUMMER RERUNS!

Anonymous Anonymous  |  2/19/2009 5:27 AM  |  Flag  
How many times do we read accounts of neighbors bashing pits with shovels, hammers, boards etc trying to get them to release whatever unlucky mammal they are mauling....

It doesn't matter if it is physiological, genetic or caused by sun spots. It's what they do!

Anonymous Anonymous  |  2/19/2009 10:53 AM  |  Flag  
I watched two grown men beat a pit bull in the head until it was UNCONSCIOUS, trying to get its jaws off the throat of a smaller dog it had attacked with no warning or provocation.

THAT'S where the damn "myth" came from.....they DO lock their jaws, with the sheer force of their will, NOT from any physiological skeletal mechanism. The end result for the victim is the same; these dogs will NOT let go.

Anonymous Anonymous  |  2/19/2009 11:30 AM  |  Flag  
Judge Judy did her homework on this one, like a good judge should.

There is an understanding that there is a genetic problem with these dogs.

I do wish, however, that she had discussed the chaining issue.

The dog was on a chain because it was too aggressive to live in the house or with the family.

So this trash just throws these dogs on chains.

That makes them worse, and they break the chain and usually attack a neighbor child or pet.

Also that these people are breeding pit bulls to sell to fighters or criminals. This was an illegal business operation.

So they WANTED an aggressive dog to breed!

Anonymous FoolMeOnce  |  2/19/2009 2:19 PM  |  Flag  
I wanted to see this episode. Thanks for posting the video! IT is so typical of nutters to go insane whenever someone says "Locking Jaw." Agreed that is doesn't matter what you call it! It is a fact that they won't let go! I am so tempted to go on that board where they are trashing Judge Judy, but I know it would just give me an ulcer. pits do have something different about their jaws that makes them able to hold on, and in their temperment that makes them want to hold on, and the damage they inflict is horrendous, even with the NONLOCKING JAWS.

Anonymous Anonymous  |  2/19/2009 4:13 PM  |  Flag  
Another human aggressive pit breeding operation revealed...

The daughter has been so indoctrinated by drinking the nutter koolaid that she still spews the pitbullshixt despite administering a level 5 mauling on her own father!

Ban Early and Ban Often!

Anonymous Anonymous  |  2/19/2009 4:50 PM  |  Flag  
Kenny Waters in 10 years

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFr224G7RIM&feature=related

Anonymous Anonymous  |  2/19/2009 9:54 PM  |  Flag  
Judge Judy is a neighbor of mine in Florida. GOD BLESS HER. She has two small dogs that she walks. Not far from where we live not long ago a woman was decapitated by two pit bulls when out for a walk.
I don't care if she got the locking jaws wrong. SHE GOT THE REST RIGHT. When I see her on the beach I'm going to say thank you on behalf of dogsbite.org and tell her about the site!!!!GO JUDY

Anonymous annod  |  2/20/2009 12:27 AM  |  Flag  
"It doesn't matter if it is physiological, genetic or caused by sun spots. It's what they do!"


It DOES matter when you trying to make laws.

Anonymous Anonymous  |  2/21/2009 4:27 AM  |  Flag  
The irony here is that the nutters are more upset with Judy instead of these human aggressive Pit Bull breeders. They truly are the petulant children of the dog world!

Anonymous Anonymous  |  2/21/2009 12:56 PM  |  Flag  
Anon who lives near Judge Judy, thank her for having the guts to be HONEST, and not hide in fear from the pit bull lobby.

Blogger Honesty Helps  |  3/12/2009 10:11 AM  |  Flag  
I did see the one where JJ takes about the jaw capacity. Seems that the man bitten was suing his daughter's boyfriend. And the daughter was on the side of the boyfriend. JJ really gave them hell about having children. And the daughter has her own pit puppy. Next headlines will be her child and then let's see if she changes her tune.

Anonymous Anonymous  |  7/03/2009 6:26 PM  |  Flag  
Once Bitten said To all these people who think pitbulls are great pets,wait til it turns on you or your children. If your to ignorant to figure that out then God be with you when this happens. This breed should be banned for life.

Anonymous Anonymous  |  8/16/2009 10:12 PM  |  Flag  
I am ashamed to say that these idiots are relatives. Fortunately, they are only related by marriage and not by blood. I have never met the idiot b/f, but Rick and Megan are..... well, idiots. 20 years from now, expect the same; white trash in an old trailer in the woods w/ dogs chained up in the back yard.

I have never understood why people would have a dog that they cannot interact with. A vicious animal chained to a tree is NOT a pet. It isn't even a good guard dog.

They are not breeding these things 'professionally' for fighters or criminals or whatever. Unfortunately, the rednecks out in Middleburg all feel that they need to have a pit bull chained up behind the trailer by the 4x4, so they buy and breed them. It's just a retard status symbol.

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