Posted on December 7, 2017 by Colleen Lynn

Alabama Legislature Passes, "Emily's Law" After Her Death

After pit bulls killed Emily Mae Colvin, the Alabama legislature passed "Emily's Law."

Criminal Charges
UPDATE 04/05/18: The owners of five pit bulls that killed a 24-year old woman in early December have been charged with criminally negligent homicide, a misdemeanor. A Jackson County grand jury indicted Brian Keith Graden, 43, and Melody Ann Graden, 45, in connection to the death of Emily Mae Colvin. Both were booked into the Jackson County jail. In addition to the negligent homicide charge, both Gradens were charged with four counts of failure to vaccinate for rabies.

Felony charges could not be brought against the Gradens due to insufficient state laws. Emily's horrific death prompted Alabama lawmakers to pass a bill that imposes felony charges under certain conditions when a dog seriously injures or kills a person. Governor Kay Ivey signed the new legislation into law in late March. In Alabama, criminally negligent homicide is a Class A misdemeanor. The Gradens face a maximum penalty of one year in jail if they are convicted.

03/20/18: Felony Dog Attack Law
On Monday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law a felony dog attack law for Alabama. The new act, "Emily's Law," is in memory of Emily Colvin, 24, who was killed by her neighbor's five loose pit bulls in December. Back then, Jackson Sheriff Chuck Phillips said the case would go before a grand jury in March on possible charges of negligent homicide. In January, a judge ordered the remaining four pit bulls belonging to Brian and Melody Graden be destroyed.

The dangerous dog legislation, sponsored by Representative Ledbetter and Senators Livingston and Scofield, easily passed both chambers. Emily's Law provides for a sworn affidavit process to request a dangerous dog investigation, which is similar to other states, an impoundment and hearing process for a suspected dangerous dog and the requirements for owning a dog legally designated dangerous, if the court determines the animal can be returned to its owner.

Like other states, the legislation defines a higher felony, Class B, if a dog legally declared dangerous attacks again. If a dog has not been declared dangerous -- which is the case in the vast majority of serious and fatal attacks, as well the dogs that killed Emily -- and attacks, causing serious physical injury or death to a person, and the owner of the dog had prior knowledge of the dangerous propensities of the dog, the owner of the dog shall be guilty of a Class C felony.

Section 6. (a) If a dog that has previously been declared by a court to be dangerous, when unprovoked, attacks and causes serious physical injury or death to a person, the owner of the dog shall be guilty of a Class B felony.
(b) If a dog that has not been declared by a court to be dangerous, when unprovoked, attacks and causes serious physical injury or death to a person, and the owner of the dog had prior knowledge of the dangerous propensities of the dog, yet demonstrated a reckless disregard of the propensities under the circumstances, the owner of the dog shall be guilty of a Class C felony.

The now codified "prior knowledge of the dangerous propensities" is typical in felony dog attack laws for criminal liability -- but should be avoided at all cost for civil liability (one bite rule). Criminal penalties are about showing beyond a reasonable doubt a criminal mindset. For instance, a defendant had knowledge of the dog's dangerous propensities, yet still failed to properly secure them. In Emily's case, the Gradens pit bulls had previously escaped and killed some llamas.

12/09/17: Tribute Video and Fund
Our hearts ache for Emily's husband and her family. A tribute video has been created for Emily Colvin's Funeral Fund. "Emily Mae Colvin was a bright light that shined onto this dark and stormy world. She was only 24 years old. She was a loving wife, devoted daughter, thoughtful sister, caring aunt, and beloved friend." On December 7, she was struck down by five vicious pit bulls belonging to her neighbor. The Jackson County sheriff has vowed to seek criminal charges.

She'd only been married to Eric for about two years. The tribute video has many photos of their lovely wedding. "All who knew and love her are shocked and devastated because of this tragedy. She was married to Eric a little over 2 years. They were eternally devoted to each other and were looking forward to starting a family together. Eric was a loving husband who put Emily's needs before his. Emily's death will test his will and faith to its limits," states the GoFundMe page.

12/07/17: Pit Bulls Kill Woman
Section, AL - Authorities confirmed that a pack of pit bulls killed a 24-year old woman and injured another Thursday morning. 24-year old Emily Mae Colvin was discovered dead on arrival, deputies said. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about 9:00 am about a dog attack at County Road 121 in Section. A deputy shot and killed one of the dogs due to its aggression. Another woman was also injured. She was treated for her injuries and released.

Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputies, Scottsboro Animal Control and Section Police confiscated four dogs from the property. All five dogs were described as pit bulls by authorities. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said they had never received a call about these particular dogs before and that Colvin was familiar with them. The second victim was not identified by police nor was the block area of County Road 121 where the attack occurred. Deputies continue to investigate.

One neighbor who would not go on camera said the dogs "never used to snarl, bark or nothing … if anything they would lick you to death."

WAAY reports that all five dogs belonged to Colvin's neighbor. A friend of Colvin's was talking to her on the phone and came to aid her when she heard the dogs attacking, Jackson County Sheriff Chuck Phillips said. The dogs then attacked her too. She was taken to a hospital with leg and arm injuries. "Dogs can run loose, but still the owner is responsible for the damages that they do," Phillips said. "So we will be seeking charges here in this case, probably in the March grand jury."

Later in the day, Sheriff Phillips clarified an earlier statement. This is the first time these dogs have attacked a human, he told WHNT, but it’s not the first complaint on record for the animals. "We received a call back sometime ago, maybe these dogs and the victim’s dog had killed llamas that were in a pasture nearby. That’s the only complaint we have ever had on them," Phillips said. The owner of the dogs could a face charge of negligent homicide, which is a Class A misdemeanor.

Second Fatal Pit Bull Mauling

This is the second fatal pit bull mauling in northeast Alabama in a matter of days. On November 29, about 50 miles away in Guntersville, a pack of pit bulls killed 46-year old Tracy Cornelius and severely injured another woman who had been walking along Jason Road. The four dogs first attacked the woman. Cornelius intervened to help save her and the dogs turned on her. Cornelius was pronounced dead at the scene. The other woman was airlifted to a hospital in Huntsville.

Always Release Photographs

We specifically posted this Tweet to call out the irrationality of it. There is an ongoing investigation in which Sheriff Phillips has vowed to seek criminal charges. Thus, there are 100 reasons to allow these dogs to be photographed by the media. Sheriff Phillips himself should have released photographs already so that members of the community who may have seen these dogs loose and behaving aggressively can identify them and provide testimony against the dogs' owner.

In our baseline reporting requirements, the #2 item is releasing identification photographs. Alone, police can rarely know the history of dogs involved in fatal attacks because many incidents go unreported. Yet, criminal charges greatly hinge on knowing this history. There may have been an incident a year earlier involving a neighbor that moved away. Without photographs released, that person will never have the chance to say, "That was the same dog that chased me last year."

#Update All 4 🐕 involved in the attack that killed 24-year-old Emily Mae Colvin in Jackson County are being held at Williams Animal Clinic. I asked to see the dogs, but they say because this is an ongoing investigation they couldn’t let me take video/pictures of them. @whnt pic.twitter.com/ppcMPEctG4

— Aaron Cantrell (@AaronTheNewsGuy) December 7, 2017

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Alabama Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Baseline reporting requirements:
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Colleen Lynn

2017 Dog Bite Fatality: Dogs Kill 8-Year Old Boy, Injure Another in South Carolina

Korbin seen with his friend Caleb, who tried to save him from the attacking dogs.

Neighbor Carried Gun
UPDATE 12/05/17: On Tuesday a resident of Daniel Morgan Road, who lives next door to the owner of the dogs that killed an 8-year old boy and injured another, spoke about the history of the dogs. Donald Blanton said that he and his wife have had problems with the dogs for years. "When I was cutting my grass I carried a gun to make sure the dogs didn’t come at me," he said. "When I was outside I just carried a stick with me to make sure the dogs didn’t come at me."

"I was always terrified the dogs would get out and come over and maybe hurt one of the children." - Donald Blanton, who resides next door to the dogs' owner

Blanton said he has contacted the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office in the past, which directed him to animal control. Despite many calls about the dogs, Blanton said that animal control only came out once to pick up one of the dogs. Then they returned that dog to its owner. Blanton said his neighbor also had problems with the dogs and voiced them to animal control. “The dogs kept going over there getting into (the neighbor’s) fence and killing his chickens and ducks," he said.

No criminal charges have been filed and none are expected to be, despite the dogs escaping their property and attacking two children and killing one. As Blanton tells WYFF, "I really think something should be done. Instead of just sweeping it under the rug." Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller said there were no reports of the dogs "being vicious," which translates into no previous reports to animal control of a person being attacked and bitten by any of the dogs.

On Thursday, family and friends will gather to celebrate Korbin's life. Korbin Williams, 8-years old, was a student at Northwest Elementary School. A superhero is expected to attend his funeral service as well. John Buckland, who portrays Batman, is driving his "Hopemobile" from West Virginia to attend the funeral to honor Korbin and Caleb, his 8-year old friend who tried to save him from the dogs. Buckland will drive Caleb in his tricked out Batmobile to attend Korbin's funeral.

12/04/17: Off Property Fatal Dog Attack
New details have been released after three dogs mauled an 8-year old boy to death and injured another boy on Friday in Gaffney. Korbin Williams was pronounced dead at the scene. Two of the dogs were shot to death by arriving deputies. The third dog was shot and killed by a neighbor Saturday morning, Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller said. All three canines were sent to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control to test for rabies, Sheriff Mueller said.

The three dogs belonged to Korbin's neighbor, Mueller said. Korbin's mother had been caring for the animals while the neighbor was out of town. Korbin and his mother had been to the home earlier that day to feed the dogs. Mueller believes the dogs escaped the neighbor's yard by crawling under the fence. The dogs attacked Korbin and his friend on the roadway across from his home. His friend managed to escape and alert his mother and another neighbor to the attack.

It is unknown how long Korbin and his mother had been caring for the dogs. Mueller did not name the identity of the dogs' owner, but did say he will be presenting their findings to the Solicitor’s Office to determine whether the case warrants any criminal charges. Mueller described the three animals as "mixed-breed dogs." In the Cherokee County Sheriff Dispatch archived recording of December 1, the dispatcher described the dogs as, "Two pit bulls and one German shepherd."

12/02/17: Dogs Kill Child, Injure Another
Gaffney, SC - An 8-year old boy is dead and another suffered injuries after being attacked by multiple dogs on Friday afternoon. The two children were walking down the road from one home to another in the 300 block of Daniel Morgan School Road when the dogs attacked, Major Richard Turner of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies located two dogs at a nearby home suspected in the attack. The dogs became aggressive and deputies fired on them, Turner said.

A third dog was also involved in the attack. It fled the scene and is not in our custody at this time, Turner said during a press conference.

Deputies responded to a call about 4:15 pm reporting that dogs were assaulting a child. When deputies arrived at the scene, two of the dogs were inside a fenced-in area. Police are currently trying to identify the dogs' owners. The Cherokee County coroner and investigators are at the scene investigating the fatal attack. The second child apparently only suffered minor injuries. A description of the dogs has not been released, but they are believed to be neighborhood dogs.

Coroner Identifies Boy

Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler identified the child as Korbin Michael Williams who attended Northwest Elementary, reports The Gaffney Ledger. "Korbin sustained multiple bites over his body by the dogs while the other boy was bitten once on the leg," Fowler said. "While the dogs were still attacking young Korbin, his friend ran to his nearby home for help. The friend’s mother and a neighbor rushed to Korbin and called 9-1-1." Korbin was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy conducted Saturday revealed Korbin died from blood loss due to puncture wounds inflicted by the dogs, coroner Fowler said.

"This is an absolute tragedy," Fowler continued. "The boy was familiar with the dogs having cared for them by feeding and playing with them daily. He had just fed them on Friday minutes before the attack occurred." The search for the third dog was ongoing as of Friday evening, Major Richard Turner said. Deputies shot and killed the other two dogs after they behaved aggressively toward them. As of Friday evening, investigators have still not spoken to the dogs' owner, Turner said.

BroadCastify Audio Stream

BroadCastify offers live and archived recordings of public safety audio streams across the country. Late Friday we analyzed the archived stream from Cherokee County Sheriff Dispatch from December 1, (4:17 pm to 4:47 pm). At 2:20 into the archive, it states, "Dog is attacking a child 301 Daniel Morgan School Road." At 6:58 it states, "Child is breathing, he's unconscious, 8-year old male, all the dogs have been [shooed off] at this time. Two pit bulls and one German shepherd."

Cherokee County Sheriff Dispatch Stream - December 1, (4:17 pm to 4:47 pm)

This indicates that a 9-1-1 call came in describing the three attacking dogs as two pit bulls and one German shepherd. People do not usually confuse pit bulls with German shepherds. The sheriff's office has still not released any breed information, which greatly fuels online rumors. Deputies shot and killed two of the dogs at the scene. Yet, Major Richard Turner has stated multiple times to the media that breed information is unknown; this was true regarding the still at large dog too.

The death of a child from a vicious dog mauling is horrific for every community and for every first responder who arrives at the scene. Yet when one of the attacking dogs is still roaming at large, it is unfathomable not to release a description of the dog (such as its coloring and size), along with any suspected breed information. Animal control usually picks up the carcasses of the shot dogs quickly too. So breed information is known, but is not being released for whatever reason.

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Colleen Lynn

Dog Owners Charged with Manslaughter and Assault

A pack of dogs killed one woman and seriously injured another near Guntersville.

Dog Owners Charged
UPDATE 03/23/18: The owners of four pit bulls that killed a woman and seriously injured another last year have been charged with manslaughter and assault charges. Doyle Simpson Patterson Jr., 47, and Amanda Dawn Albright, 40, both of Guntersville, were arrested after a grand jury indicted them on charges of manslaughter and second-degree assault. On November 29, the pack of dogs killed Doyle Patterson's sister, Tracy Cornelius, 46, and gravely injured another woman.

Earlier reports said the dogs were known to be aggressive. Unidentified neighbors said the dogs had terrified people in the area for the past year.

According to family members, Cornelius saw the dogs attacking Valeria Hinojosa walking along Jason Road and rushed out to help her. Cornelius lived two doors down from her brother, Doyle Patterson. The pack of pit bulls attacked and killed Cornelius, attacked and killed her dog and seriously injured Hinojosa, who was airlifted to a hospital in Huntsville for treatment. Family members said Cornelius "died a hero trying to save someone else." All four dogs were put down.

Tracy Cornelius was Patterson's sister, which Marshall County Sheriff Scott Walls says makes this case unusual.
"This case is a little different, because of the type of charges. This is no direct intent. Negligence plays a big part of this case," Walls said.
Walls says the mauling was horrific and Patterson and Albright were emotional during the arrest this morning.
"They are upset about it. This is an unfortunate situation. It was all family that lives on the street. Everybody knew everybody," Walls said. - WAFF video footage

In an interview with the Gasden Times, Chief Deputy District Attorney Ed Kellett confirmed the earlier reports of the dogs' history of aggression. Kellett describes two cases the grand jury heard simultaneously. "You don’t expect to have one case like this in a career," he said. "To have two in one grand jury?" Kellett said the dog mauling case went to the grand jury because the owners failed to properly contain pits bull that were known to be aggressive, resulting in a fatal attack.

12/06/17: Victim Released from Hospital
The surviving victim in a vicious dog attack that killed Tracy Cornelius, 46, was released from the hospital after a weeklong stay. Family members said she was bitten 10 times by the pack dogs and underwent surgery due to her injuries. Cornelius' family members said that Valeria Hinojosa was out for a walk on Jason Road on November 29 when the four dogs viciously attacked her. When Cornelius came out of her home to help Hinojosa, the animals began attacking her.

Cornelius' own dog rushed out to protect her, according to family members. Cornelius' dog died from injuries it suffered in the attack. The four attacking dogs, all pit bulls, mauled and killed Cornelius, mauled and killed her dog and injured Hinojosa so badly she had to be airlifted to a hospital in Huntsville. The owner of the attacking dogs, who lives two doors down from Cornelius, is related to her. The Marshall County Sheriff's Office said the dogs will likely be euthanized.

The pursuit of criminal charges, if at all, likely hinges on Hinojosa and her family. Sheriff Scott Walls has already said the case is difficult because, "everybody is related and everybody knows everybody," but Hinojosa's family may feel different now. In all of this, it seems the dogs' owner was nowhere to be found during the attack. Cornelius lost her life trying to rescue Hinojosa. Authorities confiscated the four pit bulls plus three others that were on the owner's property.

11/30/17: Details Released About Attack
More details have been released about a pack of dogs attack that left one woman dead and another hospitalized Wednesday. Tracy Lynn Cornelius, 46-years old, was killed in the attack. The attack occurred on the property of Cornelius' relative, who lives two doors down from her on Jason Road. The surviving victim, Valeria Hinojosa, was Cornelius' friend. After the attack, seven pit bulls were confiscated or killed by authorities; all but one of the dogs belongs to Cornelius' relative.

"The problem with this is, everybody is related and everybody knows everybody. They are friends." - Sheriff Scott Walls

Four dogs were involved in the attack; the others were captured for precaution, Sheriff Scott Walls said. The white pit bull-mix mentioned in earlier news reports, which roamed the area for hours after the attack, was eventually shot and killed by law enforcement. Another dog died somehow at the scene before police and deputies arrived (possibly the victim of the dog fight reported earlier). At least one of the dogs involved in the attack was on a leash too, according to Sheriff Walls.

No charges have been filed against the dogs' owner, who commenters claim is Cornelius' brother. In Marshall County there is no leash law ordinance or requirements for fencing. The case involving two dog attack victims will likely go to a grand jury in January to decide what charges, if any, the dogs' owner could face, Sheriff Walls said. The injuries suffered by Hinojosa appear to be very severe; a news report yesterday indicated that she was airlifted to a hospital in Huntsville.

11/29/17: Woman Killed by Dogs
Guntersville, AL - A woman is dead and another is hospitalized with serious injuries after being attacked by four dogs Wednesday morning, Marshall County authorities said. Tracy Patterson Cornelius, 46, was killed by the dogs on Jason Road, just off Alabama 79 South at about 8:00 am, Sheriff Scott Walls stated in a new release. Authorities seized three of the dogs; the fourth dog, a white pit bull-mix, was captured by Marshall County Animal Control about seven hours later.

"At this time, we have determined that (four) dogs have mauled two women. How it began is still under investigation." - Sheriff Scott Walls

Sheriff Walls said the women apparently knew the dogs. "Evidently, the ladies were trying to break up a fight between the dogs, and that’s how it got started," Walls said. "Of course, from there it just got out of hand quickly. Just a terrible situation," he said. Authorities said there were no previous reports involving these dogs. Sheriff's officials are conducting interviews with neighbors to learn more about the dogs' history. No other descriptive details were released about the four dogs.

Subsequent news reports identified the surviving victim as Valeria Hinojosa. Her nephew, Hernan Torres, told WAFF that Hinojosa was out for her morning walk when the dogs attacked. Torres said the dogs were known to be aggressive and to chase people. Other unidentified neighbors told WAFF the dogs have terrified people in the area for at least the last year. The WAFF video shows a ramshackle home, possibly belonging to the dogs' owner, which appears totally uninhabitable.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Alabama Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Posted on November 24, 2017 by Colleen Lynn

Man Dies in North Philadelphia After Being Attacked by Four Pit Bulls on Thanksgiving Day

Locations of three violent pit bull attacks in North Philadelphia since January.

Man Dies After Attack
Philadelphia, PA - A man is dead after being attacked by four pit bulls on Thanksgiving Day in the Hunting Park section of North Philadelphia. The attack occurred just before 9 pm in the 1300 block of West Pike Street in the backyard of a home. Police shot and killed one of the pit bulls; the others fled back into the owner's home. The unidentified man was transported to Temple University Hospital with critical injuries, reports WPVI-TV. He was pronounced dead at 10:18 pm.

Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told NBC10, "He was covered in dirt and mud. So, they couldn't even tell or estimate his age at this time." Janet Walke, who lives nearby, said that just moments earlier she had given the man a plate of food. "I just fed him. I gave him a plate of food," she said. Though it remains unclear why the victim was in the pit bull owner's backyard, police said the victim knew the dogs' owner. Police suspect a medical condition contributed to the man's death.

This attack mirrors the February 25 attack in the Olney section of Philadelphia just a few miles away. Police responded to a call of a vicious dog in the 5300 block of Rising Sun Avenue. When officers arrived, they found a 21-year old man unresponsive in his apartment with bite injuries to his face. The victim's 8-month old pit bull was found in the room covered in blood. The man was taken to Einstein Medical Center where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

The male victim was never identified. Police suspected he suffered a "medical trauma" as well. The cause of death was never released.

A month earlier, in the Germantown section of North Philadelphia, also just a few miles away, an unidentified 96-year old woman apparently survived a vicious attack by two pit bulls. Police said the woman was found unresponsive with dog bite injuries to her face, head, neck and arms in the 5800 block of Brush Road. She was taken to Einstein Medical Center in "extremely critical condition," news reports state. Witnesses said the side of her face was left "unrecognizable."

Regarding the most recent attack, police shot and killed one of the pit bulls, which indicates the dogs were actively attacking the man. Being found "covered in dirt and mud" is not uncommon after a vicious dog mauling, particularly when it involves multiple dogs. Studies in medical journals consistently report wounds heavily contaminated with dirt, gravel and debris. The dogs pull the victim to the ground and physically drag them through the dirt while biting and tearing off flesh.

DogsBite blog ::

2017 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bulls Kill 24-Year Old Woman in Jackson County, Alabama

Alabama Legislature Passes, "Emily's Law" After Her Death

2017 Dog Bite Fatality: Dogs Kill 8-Year Old Boy, Injure Another in South Carolina

2017 Dog Bite Fatality: Pack of Dogs Kill Woman, Seriously Injure Another in Guntersville

Dog Owners Charged with Manslaughter and Assault

Man Dies in North Philadelphia After Being Attacked by Four Pit Bulls on Thanksgiving Day