[Bill Hemmer, Cnn Anchor:] We begin now, again this hour, in Los Angeles, where a gruesome death, followed by months of lurid revelations, have led to a murder and manslaughter trial against two attorneys. Opening statements under way at this hour. Eric Horng, now, and the very latest in Los Angeles.
[Eric Horng, Cnn Correspondent:] Diane Whipple's death in January 2001 shook the city of San Francisco. The images of a hallway soaked in blood. The accounts of the brutality of the attack. Whipple, a 33-year-old college lacrosse coach, was mauled outside her apartment by one, perhaps two, huge dogs that weighed more than she did. The owners of the animals, Marjorie Knoller and her husband Robert Noel. Knoller, who says she attempted to shield Whipple from the dogs, claims the Presa Canarios, named Bane and Hera, were never aggressive to humans in the past.
[Marjorie Knoller, Dog Owner:] That only happened after, unfortunately, Miss Whipple hit me in my right eye, and then he became aggressive towards her.
[Horng:] But the victim's domestic partner says Whipple had been bitten by the dogs on one previous occasion.
[Sharon Smith, Whipple's Domestic Partner:] I believe that they knew that these dogs were dangerous. And I believe that, because these dogs had lunged at people before. They had bitten people before.
[Horng:] The two dogs have since been destroyed. Knoller and Noel charged with involuntary manslaughter and possession of an animal that killed a human being. Knoller, who was with the dogs at the time of the attack and says she was dragged down the hallway by the male, is also charged with second degree murder. Complicating the case, the couple's relationship with this man, Paul Schneider, serving life in prison for attempted murder in an unrelated case. Knoller and Noel, who are both lawyers, represented Schneider, and prosecutors say the three were involved in a ring to sell attack dogs.
[Hemmer:] Yeah, Eric, before we let you go here. No one in the state of California has ever been convicted for the actions of their dog. What are you hearing from legal analysts about who may have the larger hurdle in this case, defense or prosecution?
[Horng:] It's true, what you say. No one in the state of California has actually been convicted of murder for the actions of a dog, and it could be a tough sell for this jury. But the prosecution feels they've got a strong case, based on the number people they say have had violent encountered with these dogs. They've also got testimony from Diane Whipple's domestic partner, who is going to testify that Whipple, a month before she was killed, called her domestic partner on the phone, and said that she actually had been bitten on a separate occasion by these dogs.
[Hemmer:] All right, Eric. Eric Horng live in L.A. We'll be in touch throughout the afternoon. Again, opening statements continue there in Los Angeles.