Madeline
Rookie
- Banned
- #1
Terrific book/new tv show:
Aphrodite Jones's book, "The Red Zone" (2004) came to my attention because she starred in a new tv show (True Crime with Aphrodite Jones) on Investigation Discovery about the case.
Majorie Knoller and her husband, Robert Noel were San Fransico area attorneys who became enamored of a prisoner, Paul Schnieder, a member of a vicious prison gang. Through their assistance, Schneider ran a dog breeding and training business that imported and bred Presa Canaria dogs. These massive animals are bred for fighting and easily reach in excess of 125lbs.
Knoller was returning from the roof of her apartment building with both dogs when Diane Whipple, her neighbor, entered the hallway and an attack ensued. Knoller corralled the dogs in her apartment after Whipple's fatal injuries but did not call 911 and has never expressed regret for the attack, instead insisting that Whipple's actions led to her death.
Noel was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the 2002 trial and served three years. Knoller, on the other hand, was convicted of second degree murder but had her verdict overturned by the trial judge and convicted instead of involuntary manslaughter. In 2008, the prosecution won its appeal to have the original murder conviction reinstated and Knoller was resentenced to 15 years to life.
The case has myriad interesting tangents, but is chiefly remembered because the "intent" of the dogs who killed Whipple was regarded by the jury as proof of the malicious intent of Knoller and Noel.
Aphrodite Jones's book, "The Red Zone" (2004) came to my attention because she starred in a new tv show (True Crime with Aphrodite Jones) on Investigation Discovery about the case.
Majorie Knoller and her husband, Robert Noel were San Fransico area attorneys who became enamored of a prisoner, Paul Schnieder, a member of a vicious prison gang. Through their assistance, Schneider ran a dog breeding and training business that imported and bred Presa Canaria dogs. These massive animals are bred for fighting and easily reach in excess of 125lbs.
Knoller was returning from the roof of her apartment building with both dogs when Diane Whipple, her neighbor, entered the hallway and an attack ensued. Knoller corralled the dogs in her apartment after Whipple's fatal injuries but did not call 911 and has never expressed regret for the attack, instead insisting that Whipple's actions led to her death.
Noel was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the 2002 trial and served three years. Knoller, on the other hand, was convicted of second degree murder but had her verdict overturned by the trial judge and convicted instead of involuntary manslaughter. In 2008, the prosecution won its appeal to have the original murder conviction reinstated and Knoller was resentenced to 15 years to life.
The case has myriad interesting tangents, but is chiefly remembered because the "intent" of the dogs who killed Whipple was regarded by the jury as proof of the malicious intent of Knoller and Noel.
