LOS ANGELES — The woman whose domestic partner was killed by dogs found herself under attack during the trial of the dogs' owners.

In a tactic that stunned courtroom spectators and veteran trial observers, defense attorney Nedra Ruiz suggested Thursday that Sharon Smith could have prevented Diane Whipple's death. And she accused the woman of trying to profit from a civil suit after her partner's death.

"This is suicide lawyering," said Loyola University law professor Laurie Levenson. "If there's one way to get a jury to hate you, it's to beat up on the victim."

Ruiz, the attorney for dog owner Majorie Knoller, launched an aggressive cross-examination after Smith told how the two women lived in fear of their neighbors' huge dogs.

Knoller, 46, who was at the scene, is charged with second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and having a mischievous animal that killed a human being. Her husband, Robert Noel, 60, faces the latter two charges.

Smith said Whipple had been bitten before by one of the dogs, named Bane, and that she herself had to jump back when the animal lunged at her in the lobby of their San Francisco apartment building.

Whipple would not leave their apartment without looking out the door to make sure the dogs were not in sight, Smith said.

"Every time we passed the dogs, she made sure I was between her and the dogs," Smith said.

Smith said after Whipple was bitten on the hand by one of the dogs "she was very scared of those dogs, terrified."

Ruiz then noted that neither Whipple nor Smith complained about the dogs' behavior. Smith said they were afraid and wanted nothing to do with the couple across the hall.

"You did nothing to remedy the situation where your life partner lived in fear?" Ruiz asked.

"We took action. We stayed away from the dogs. I didn't make a complaint. Now I wish I had," Smith said, tears welling in her eyes.

"Do you consider that had you made a complaint, Diane Whipple might be alive today?" Ruiz asked, drawing loud gasps in the courtroom. Smith responded by shaking her head back and forth.

"There are certain lines no attorney should cross and they crossed it today," attorney Michael Cardoza, who represents Smith in her civil suit, said later outside court.

Smith said, "I was shocked by her question and deeply offended by it."

Levenson said she surmised from Ruiz's opening statement that she would attempt to blame others for the attack.

"It's very difficult to shift blame in a case like this," she said.

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Ruiz has said the couple had no warning their dogs were dangerous and were not responsible for the attack on Jan. 26, 2001. Prosecutors have called more than 30 witnesses to testify about the dogs' threatening behavior and warnings the witnesses said were given to the owners.

Earlier Thursday, jurors saw photos of a bloody Whipple, bitten from head to foot, her clothing chewed off her body.

Prosecutors also showed jurors photographs of the mouths of the two dogs. Forensic dental expert Greg Mar showed plaster casts of the dogs' teeth and matched puncture wounds on Whipple's neck to Bane.

The trial, which was moved to Los Angeles due to extensive publicity, will resume on Monday.

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