A jury has found an Ohio man guilty of using his pet pit bull terrier as a murder weapon in what is believed the first such verdict in the nation.
Jeffery Mann, 36, Cleveland, was convicted of ordering his dog, Mack, to fatally attack Angela Kaplan, 28, who suffered more than 70 bite wounds. He was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison Monday.Mack remained at the city kennel Tuesday and officials said he would likely be destroyed.
Mann originally said Kaplan had been attacked by a stray dog and had come crawling home. After being confronted with contrary evidence, he admitted his dog might have been the culprit.
Defense lawyers told the Cleveland Plain Dealer they did not call their client to the stand because he still does not have a good answer as to what happened. They said had he testified, he would have said he was "pretty much out of it that night."