Woman whose dog was killed by LAPD cops sues police department: Jameson didn’t growl at any of the officers or try to attack them
Marie Marseille, a 45-year-old woman whose pet Labrador was killed by an LAPD officer last month, is suing the city and several unidentified officers, alleging that the department used excessive force against Jamerson while the dog did nothing to threaten them.This woman was cheering for the New York Knicks’ recent NBA Finals win. But her neighbors believed she was in dire straits and called for a welfare check on the woman. The 911 caller said the woman had been screaming “Oh my God” for 20 minutes.When police arrived on scene, they saw the dog and fired several shots to kill it.“Jameson did not bite anyone, did not accuse the police, and did not do anything that would indicate imminent serious bodily harm,” the lawsuit states. The lawsuit adds that the officer who killed Jameson “fired multiple shots, killing Jameson in cold blood without attempting to calm Jameson or giving Plaintiff an opportunity to calm or quiet Jameson.”In body camera footage of the encounter released last month, two officers can be heard becoming troubled by the size of Jameson, a golden retriever, St. Bernard and poodle mix, after responding to a call at Canoga Park Apartments in Marseille. “Oh my God, that’s a big dog,” one officer said. “I’m not going to be affected by this, bro,” said another.Jameson’s owner said he was not an aggressive dog at all. But when Jameson ran out the door and started barking at an officer, the officer shot the dog multiple times, killing the dog and causing Jameson’s owner to scream. Jameson also wore a Knicks jersey.The lawsuit accuses the city and police of failing to follow the LAPD’s police manual, conducting unlawful seizures, negligent conduct and failing to properly train officers.Marseille argued that under LAPD policy, officers are authorized to use force against an animal only if the animal poses an immediate threat of harm. The policy alleges that the policy complies with the California Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission’s guidelines on contact with dogs, which emphasize that officers must read a dog’s body language to distinguish between “energetic” and “aggressive” behavior.“An energetic dog — a dog that is excited, moving, barking — is not necessarily an aggressive dog, and this distinction is important under LAPD policy and constitutional standards,” the lawsuit states.“Losing a pet is an extremely personal matter,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonald wrote in a statement on The X last month. “For many people, a dog is more than an animal; it is a companion, a source of comfort and a member of the family.”Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement after the body camera footage was released, saying, “This shooting clearly demonstrates that while the LAPD provides officers with written guidance on the use of force and pets, it is not enough.” She called the evidence “disturbing and tragic.”
