Jury Finds PA Man Guilty in Dog Attack on Cop

[Ken [NY]]

Jury Finds PA Man Guilty in Dog Attack on Cop

Easton, PA - 8/18/2001

By RUDY MILLER
The Express-Times

Clifford Ransom Jr. was convicted on all counts after a jury found he
ordered his pit bull to attack an Easton police officer.

A Northampton County jury deliberated for an hour and a half Thursday
afternoon before delivering the guilty verdict.

The jury found that Ransom, 23, of the 100 block of West Wilkes-Barre
Street in Easton, ordered the family dog, Flex, to attack Easton
police Officer Charles Leauber on Aug. 19.

Leauber chased Ransom to his home, where Ransom released the dog and
it bit Leauber repeatedly. One wound on Leauber’s arm required 16
stitches to close.

Ransom was convicted of aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly
endangering another person, attack by a dog, theft and receiving
stolen property.

The jury found that in addition to ordering the dog to attack Leauber,
Ransom took Leauber’s flashlight, which the officer said he dropped
while chasing Ransom.

"I cannot believe this," said an exasperated Charles Ransom Sr. after
the verdict was read.

Ransom Sr. paced back and forth in the third row of the courtroom as
Judge William F. Moran spoke to Ransom Jr. about the conviction.
Ransom Sr. kicked the bench in front of him when Moran raised Ransom
Jr.’s bail from $25,000 to $50,000. The family could not afford to pay
the bail, and Ransom Jr. was led away in handcuffs to county prison.

"It’s the jury’s job to make this decision. I don’t agree with it,"
said defense attorney Philip Lauer. "I don’t know where we’re going
from here."

Ransom Jr. testified that Leauber was to blame for the dog attack.
Ransom Jr. said he ran into the house and shut the door on Flex’s
leash, leaving the dog outside. He said he pulled the leash tight
against the door so the dog wouldn’t bite the police officer.

Ransom Jr. said he told Leauber to get off the porch. Instead, Leauber
tried to reach around the dog to get to Ransom Jr., according to the
defendant.

"He had the dog," Ransom Jr. testified. "He’s ramming the dog between
the door and the house. He’s kneeing and shoulder blocking the dog
into the house."

Ransom Sr. testified Wednesday that Leauber started wrestling with the
dog after it bit him. Leauber said Ransom let go of the leash and
ordered the dog to attack him. Leauber said the dog bit him three
times. The dog was later destroyed.

"The jury apparently put very little stock in the defendant’s
assertion that the police officer had anything to do with the dog
attack," said Assistant District Attorney Jay Jenkins.

Jenkins said police officers have enough hardships on the job without
being subject to dog attacks.

"It’s a very serious offense. And under these factors, it’s even
worse," Jenkins said.

Ransom is facing a maximum sentence of 18 years in prison, Jenkins
said.

Ken [NY]
--
Chairperson,
Department of Redundancy Department
____________________________________

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