01x80 - Chihuahua vs. Pit Bull

[bunniefuu]

Who was walking the Chihuahua?

My daughter.

And all of a sudden,
we seen a brown pit bull.

Yeah. Those are clearly puncture
wounds.

The dogs never touched ever.

He did that.

He did that to his dog.

You want me to believe that this man

put multiple puncture wounds
in the dog?

Yes.

[Judge Judy] She is so delusional.

[announcer] This is Judy Justice.

[theme music playing]

[announcer]
LaRenzo Marshall is suing his

neighbor, Deonna Hale,
for vet bills and emotional distress.

[Kevin] Court come to order.

All rise.

Be seated, please.

[Kevin] Hello, Judge.

Case 1062, Marshall versus Hale.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

[Judge Judy]
Mr. Marshall, it is your claim

that the defendant's dog injured yours.

Your dog was ultimately euthanized.

Yes.

[Judge Judy]
You want the defendant to be

responsible not only for the vet bill,

but for the emotional trauma

that the attack caused on your child.

Yes.

You two are neighbors?

Yes.

You have a Chihuahua?

Yes.

- [Judge Judy] Had a Chihuahua.
- Had.

You have a pit bull?

Yes, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] How old was your
Chihuahua?

Uh, three and a half.

How old is your pit bull?

Eleven. She'll be 12 on Monday.

And you've had her since puppy?

Since she was born.

We delivered her in our garage.

- Is that your only dog?
- Yes.

Ever had any issues with her before?

[Deonna] No, we have not.

There was confusion about an issue,
but it, uh, was worked out,

because there is a dog
that lives on the opposite corner

that looks exactly like ours,
but is a boy and is always free.

And so, um, that dog had an
altercation with a lady and her dog

while my husband and I
were out on our porch.

So when we saw it,
we came out, and helped her.

And I, like, walked her home
and then my husband

was, you know, was kind of stand
back,

trying to make sure
that that dog was gone.

[Judge Judy] Just a second.
Just a second.

TMI.

- [Deonna] Okay.
- Too much information.

This incident happened how long ago?

I don't actually know.

I just read about...

what...'cause they had
a note in here about something,

and they said that there
was another incident with our dog,

but we realized
that what they were talking about

was when they, uh, initially thought
it was our dog but...

- [Judge Judy] Just a second.
- ...we reported...

we talked to the officers and they
realized it was the other dog.

[Judge Judy]
Don't tell me what they realized.

- Don't tell me...
- Okay.

...if he broaches that subject,
I will address it.

[Deonna] Okay.

[Judge Judy] Tell me on what date
this incident occurred, sir.

On May 18th of 2021.

[Judge Judy] What time?

Around 4:30, 5:00.

Who was walking the Chihuahua?

[LaRenzo] My daughter.

[Judge Judy] How old is she?

Ten.

[Judge Judy] Where were you?

Right next to her.

What are her special needs?

Uh, she has Down syndrome. Um, she
has a

speech impediment and she has a
stent in her heart, so...

For this dog, which is...

was three years old at the time,

did you have another dog?

Uh...I did. Um...

[Judge Judy]
What kind of dog did you have?

That one was a terrier.

What happened to that dog?

Uh, well, due to my wife and I,
our addiction in the past,

we lost that dog when we lost our
house and our daughter.

But when we got our,
our stuff together five years ago,

we ended up getting my daughter
another dog that...

Kitty, the one that, that got...
that we had to put down.

Was your daughter living
with relatives or in a foster care?

[LaRenzo] My daughter?
She was in foster care, yes.

[Judge Judy] For how long?

Uh, about a year,
year and a couple months.

Glad to see you got it together.

[LaRenzo] Oh, yeah. Thank you.

- I'm happy.
- [Judge Judy] Yeah. Okay.

Tell me what happened on May 18th.

Like always, uh, my daughter and I,
we walk our dog every afternoon.

And she was walking her...the dog
down the street,

and then all of a sudden,
we seen a brown pit bull

come from the defendant's backyard.

And there's no fence,
so the dog just came charging out.

My first instinct was to grab my
daughter.

So, I grabbed my daughter,
and turned her around,

and put her behind me.

And I grabbed the dog's leash,
and Kitty's in a harness,

and I pulled Kitty up real hard,
so the dog doesn't get her,

but Kitty flew out of her harness.

And the dog came, and grabbed her,

and pinned her down on the ground.

So, she came running out,

the defendant
came running out with a chain,

and hit the dog,
and grabbed the dog, and took it off.

I grabbed my dog
and my daughter and I left.

[Judge Judy] Okay.

S...so, Ms. Hale came out
with what kind of a chain?

I'm guessing it's the dog's leash,
because the...

- Was it a metal chain?
- [LaRenzo] Yes.

[Judge Judy] Had you known
Ms. Hale prior to May 18th?

[LaRenzo] No.

You'd never seen her before?

[LaRenzo] I mean, I've seen them,

because we walk past their house
to walk the dog,

but other than that, no.

[Judge Judy] Haven't had
any conversation with her?

No.

[Judge Judy] Okay.

And after she came out
and got her dog out of the situation,

did she actually hit the dog
with the chain?

Yes.

[Judge Judy] How many times?

[LaRenzo] Just once.

And then what did the dog do?

And then, uh, the dog let go,
and then she grabbed the dog,

and then I grabbed my dog.

And then I grabbed my daughter and I
left.

[Judge Judy]
Okay. So you carried your dog?

[LaRenzo] Yes.

And how did she grab hold of her dog?

[LaRenzo] Uh,
she just really just jumped on her...

- [Judge Judy] Ms. Hale? Ms. Hale?
- [Deonna] Uh-hmm.

There's only one attitude here.

- [Deonna] Uh-hmm. I understand.
- That would be mine.

- Agreed.
- [Judge Judy] Do you understand?

- I do.
- It's all good.

Thank you.

She uh just basically jumped on the
dog after...you know what I mean?

Just a quick reaction.

When did you next see her?

[LaRenzo] Um,

I wanna say maybe the third or
fourth time

we came to try to give them the vet
bill,

and then that's when uh she told me

that her husband wasn't home,

and that, you know, she couldn't
deal with nothing right now.

And that to leave the mail
or the vet bill in the mailbox.

When you say
it was the second or third time,

when was the first time?

The first time was the day that I
took my dog to the vet on the 19th.

- So you took your dog the next day?
- [LaRenzo] Yeah.

Because, uh, the first night or the
night it happened,

the day it happened on the 18th,
we went to the emergency room,

but the vet wasn't there.

- You mean, cause it was...it was...
- [LaRenzo] Or the vet was

- [indistinct]
- ...it was after 5:00?

Yeah.

[Judge Judy]
So you went to an emergency vet?

[LaRenzo] Yes.

What happened there?

And lady...the nurse there said

that the vet wouldn't be in
for a couple hours.

[Judge Judy] So you went home?

[LaRenzo] Yes.

And what did you do with the dog?

Uh, I did what she told me to do,
basically keep it wrapped up,

and I just let Kitty sit down,

and she said,
"Just let her get comfortable."

So, I let her get comfortable.

Was, was she bleeding from any place?

Not at the time, no.

[Judge Judy] And you didn't see
any puncture wounds?

[LaRenzo] Oh, yeah I,
there was puncture wounds.

I have pictures of it, too.

[Judge Judy] I'd like to see the
pictures.

[Deonna] Ma'am, may I see them also?

- Of course.
- [Deonna] Thank you.

First me.

Of course.

That's my dog there.

Thank you.

Yeah, those are clearly puncture
wounds.

Would you show these, Kevin,
to the defendant?

This isn't...there's no wound on...

[LaRenzo] No...yeah, that was stuck to
the paper.

Okay.

[Gasps]

Got it?

Yes, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] Okay.

I'll take that back now, Kevin.

Thank you.

I only see two puncture wounds.

I don't see any more.

Is that what you saw, two...

[LaRenzo] Well, that's all...no, um,

the other two, I guess, were deep
inside.

We couldn't get the picture of it.

- No, but I see two.
- [LaRenzo] But...yeah.

Is that what you're showing me here?

- [LaRenzo] Yes.
- Okay.

Now, you took the dog to the vet

- and surgery was suggested?
- Yes.

How much did they want for the
surgery?

It was between 3,000 and 5,000
but they couldn't tell

until they did the X-rays.

So, I had to put up a $1,000
just to put her on the machine

until I can get enough money to have
them go through with the process.

And so, what was this $845 for?

The euthanize.

[Judge Judy] Do you have that bill?

Uh, this goes wit it,

because they had messed up
when they did the total.

They didn't charge something,
but

then they put the total into
that.

So what you actually paid
to the vet was $854.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, Ms. Hale.
Clearly, your dog was off leash?

- Yes...no.
- [Judge Judy] Clearly...

No, ma'am. She actually had her
leash on,

but it's a long chain as he said,

it is a chain,
and I didn't have full control of it.

[Judge Judy] Actually, Ms. Hale,
your dog was off leash.

Okay.

If you don't have control of it,
then the dog is off leash.

Okay.

[Judge Judy] Because
if the dog was on the leash,

you wouldn't have had any contact...
put your hand down.

Because if you had control over the
dog...

No, I understand what you're saying.

[Judge Judy] ...then it wouldn't have
punctured this dog.

- Ma'am, that did not happen.
- [Judge Judy] It would have stopped.

[Deonna] I...can I...can I please...
can I please just tell you?

- [Judge Judy] [sighs] You can.
- Okay.

[Judge Judy]
We're going back to May 18th...

- [Deonna] The actual incident.
- ...2021 at 4:30.

Where exactly were you?

I was in the backyard with my dog.

[Judge Judy]
Okay. You were in the backyard.

[Deonna] Uh-hmm.

Who else was there?

It was just me and my dog in the
backyard.

Okay.

And where was your husband?

Inside, and he was...
he just got out of the shower.

So, he was inside the house?

Yes, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] So he was
inside the house and not there.

Now, is, is your bathroom,
where the shower is,

in front of house
or in the back of the house?

[Deonna] No, he said
he was drying off...he was in the...

- [Judge Judy] Just a second.
- The bathroom is in the room.

[Judge Judy] Where, where...

The bathroom is in the bedroom.

- I'm answering your question.
- [Judge Judy] I'm asking you...

- [Deonna] Uh-hmm.
- ...whether the shower

in your house is towards
the front of the house

or the back of the house.

That's a simple question.

The back of the house, in the...in
the...

[Judge Judy] In the back of the
house?

- So, he...
- [Deonna] Next to the driveway.

Where I can give you the picture
if you would like to see exactly

where. I can show you.

I just...I asked you a simple
question.

Is the bathroom
in the back of the house...

- Yes, ma'am.
- [Judge Judy] ...or the...

so it's in the back of the house.

Yes.

Because he was moving his head up
and down

as if he actually witnessed this
thing, which he did not.

[Deonna] He did. No, he did, ma'am.

[Judge Judy]
Wouldn't you...oh, impossible.

[Deonna] It's not impossible,
because he was getting out of the

shower. He heard his dog like he
normally does.

He heard me say, "Leila, sit."

So, he looks out of the window.

The window is right there.

He couldn't come out,
because he was naked.

So, he's looking out of the window

and I'll let you...I'll let him tell
you what he saw.

He'll...yeah, yeah,
you can let him tell me what you saw.

- Your dog was out...
- I didn't see...

[Judge Judy] Your dog was,

for whatever reason,
not under your control.

Yes, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] And then what happened?

And then what happened?

Okay. So his dog comes walking up
the street.

His dog...

How do you know that
if you were in the backyard?

Okay. His dog...

- [Judge Judy] No, no, no.
- Imagine...

imagine an angry Fran Drescher
as a Chihuahua.

- No no just a...
- [Deonna] It screams

like, like literally... I don't wanna
do it.

- It's embarrassing.
- [Judge Judy] Just a second.

Just a second.

I'm asking you, you said to me, "I'm
in the backyard...

[Deonna] I'm answering your
question.

"...with my dog."

I'm answering your question.

[Judge Judy] And I said...and you
said he comes walking down the street

and I just wanna know how you see
that.

[Deonna] And that's what I'm
tr...trying to explain to you.

Well, then, tell me.

[Deonna] I didn't...we don't see
them.

- We hear them.
- [Judge Judy] So you don't...you...

- so you...so you hear?
- We hear them.

Because his...the dog he...
that he's speaking of,

it...from...if it sees anything,

whether it's a cat, a bird,
anything, it scream barks.

Uh, I'm talking...like, a loud truck

all the way down the street.

Everyone in the neighborhood sees it,
knows it everything.

- You don't worry about...

- [Judge Judy] Listen to...listen to
me. Listen to me.

- Don't tell me what anyone sees.
- [Deonna] Okay.

- Don't tell me what anyone knows.
- [Deonna] What I see.

- [Judge Judy] You heard his do...
- What I see and I hear.

[Judge Judy] You heard his dog
barking

as he was walking it down the street.

- Past my house.
- [Judge Judy] Okay.

He comes to my...at...we're...okay.

Now, we're in my...we're in my
backyard.

- I don't know [indistinct]
- [Judge Judy] Who's we?

- You and the dog?
- Me and the dog.

Me and Leila are in our backyard.

Leila is my dog.

Yes, I know.

[Deonna] We're in our backyard.

I'm getting...picking up her food
stuff,

'cause I just...you know,
we went for a little walk.

I have her, her food trays out

and so I was gonna bring it in the
house.

I had her here right next to me.

His dog...he's standing
at the end of my driveway,

his dog is on one of those
retractable leashes,

but is in my driveway,
underneath the bushes.

And I can show you exactly where it
is, how everything positions out.

And it's...but it's screaming barking
at my dog,

so my dog, of course,
goes in that direction.

I see what's happening from the
second...

No, no, just a...just a second.

So your dog sees his dog...

- Hears.
- ...and go...or hears his dog

- and goes in that direction.
- [Deonna] Yes.

[Judge Judy] At that point,
the dog is off leash.

He says no.

You say yes.

- [Deonna] No.
- What...who should I believe?

He's shaking his head this way
and you're saying yes.

Now, you're both seeing the same
thing.

- I'm agreeing with you...
- [Judge Judy] So which...

...as the point of you saying
I did not have control.

She did have her leash on her.

[Judge Judy] I don't care
whether if she had a leash on.

[laughs] You're just trying
to explain to me, madam.

[Deonna] No, I'm trying to be
accurate.

You know, you're trying to explain
to me that his dog

was on a retractable leash
and therefore, really not in control,

- because the dog...
- [Deonna] And that is accurate.

Because...just a second, because the
dog,

you say, is now on your driveway.

- That is correct.
- [Judge Judy] That is correct,

and I'm saying you didn't have your
dog on leash on...

- In my driveway.
- [Judge Judy] Correct.

And he's saying...

[Deonna] Uh, no,
I had...she was on her leash.

She...I did not have full control,
but she was on her...

[Judge Judy] That's not a question of
full control.

You can have a leash on a dog
and a collar on a dog

and the dog can be in Paramus
while you're in Teaneck.

That doesn't mean...that doesn't mean

- you were in control of your dog.
- And which is why I'm agreeing with

- you on...
- [Judge Judy] Yeah, but he wasn't.

He wasn't. He was saying just the
opposite of you.

[Dewey] I didn't say anything,
I can't talk.

[Judge Judy] Oh, yeah.

I would say that
you should put your phone away

and listen with your two ears.

When Leila heard Kitty's tags
jingling...

- No, ma'am.
- [Judge Judy] Leila ran off

and Deonna immediately chased after
her.

This is what the officer says, you
said.

[suspenseful music playing]

[announcer] LaRenzo Marshall claims

his neighbor, Deonna Hale,
owes for vet bills

after his dog was attacked
by Deonna's pit bull.

[Judge Judy] Okay.

[Deonna] Would you like me to
finish?

- I would.
- [Deonna] Okay.

So my car is here, Leila is here,

his dog is here in line sight with us.

He's standing back here.

I run behind Leila to grab her,

so I was able to catch her
before the dog...

the dogs never touched ever,

not one point in time
did the dogs ever touch.

Then when he sees Leila,
he yanks his dog back,

which is a normal reaction.

He yanks his dog back,

but he's swinging his dog
around in a circle.

The dog makes at least two full
circles.

By that time,
I'm sitting on top of my dog,

'cause I had her chain right here.

So, I'm sitting on top of her
and I'm holding her.

He lets go of his...the...the dog's
leash,

she goes flying in back...further
into my driveway, past me,

like, right under my bedroom window
where he's looking out the window.

It flies under the window,
and I'm sitting a...there...

and then the dog is still...is now
in my driveway,

[imitates dog barking] still barking,
but didn't want to run past.

Finally, the dog runs past me,

because I'm sitting,
I was like, "Can you get your dog?"

And his dog runs to the sidewalk,

he walks over, picks up his dog,

and then they walk home.

I come inside the house

and my husband...he's standing there
with his towel.

He said...he said,
"That dog came by again?"

I said, "Yeah."
He knew nothing...he saw...

well, I'll let him explain what he
saw.

I said, "I'm worried about his
daughter.

I wanna make sure
she wasn't scared, you know."

And I asked him,

because he's a psychiatric counselor
on the child [indistinct]

I said, "Do you think I should go
check on her?"

He said, "Absolutely."

So, I go down to his house,

I asked the neighbor,
I said, "Hey, you know,

the people upstairs that have the,
um, the screaming dog?"

And then she's like,
"Yeah, I know where they live."

And I said, uh, "You know,
I don't want to go up there.

Would you mind getting them for me?"

She goes up, she gets them.

He comes downstairs
with his daughter and the dog.

I look at his daughter.

I said, "Hey, baby girl, how you
doing?"

She goes, "Good."

She comes over and gives me a hug.

Then I look over at him,
he won't make eye contact with me.

But he's holding the dog, but he has
a blanket kind of under it.

And so, I thought that was weird,
'cause I'm like...

'cause I knew the dogs never touched,

not at one point in times
did the dogs ever make contact.

I saw...and I'm like, "That's
weird.

Like, why are you... w...what's that?"

So, I played it off.

I walk over to him and the dog,
I put my hand on the dog

so I was like, "Hey, puppy, didn't
mean to scare you."

And so...and the dog licks my finger
and is fine.

Like, I literally touched the dog.

There's not...of course,
not a scratch, no blood, no nothing,

because the dogs never touched, ever.

Not one point in time.

I swear on everything.

Now, we're gonna get back
to the other incident

- that you were talking about.
- [Deonna] Uh-hmm.

[Judge Judy]
When did that allegedly occur?

Um, I think they said it was
like back closer...

- [Judge Judy] No, no.
- [Deonna] ...to when we moved in.

I'm trying to...I don't remember it,
'cause it didn't really involve us.

This is the first we were seeing
it was here.

Just give me the month and year.

I don't have the month and year,
ma'am.

[Judge Judy] Okay.

- Mr. Marshall.
- [LaRenzo] Yes.

You have any report
of any prior incident with this dog?

Yes, I do. Uh

[Judge Judy] I'd like to see it,
please.

And, ma'am,
may I tell you the same officer...

- [Judge Judy] No.
- ...that did that report?

No. I...no, no I...

[Deonna] It's the same one
that came to our house.

- No, I just want to...
- [LaRenzo] [indistinct]

- I just want to see it.
- Uh-hmm.

[Judge Judy] Okay. Thank you.

[LaRenzo] And, Your Honor,
may I say something

about what she said about my daughter

- saying she was fine.
- [Judge Judy] No.

- No. I under...
- [Deonna] She was good.

- I understand.
- [LaRenzo] Okay.

- I understand...
- [Deonna] She's good.

- [Judge Judy] I understand...
- Thank you.

[Judge Judy]
...what you're saying to me, sir.

- You described the nature of her...
- [LaRenzo] Yeah.

- ...frailty, so I do understand.
- [LaRenzo] Thank you.

- [Judge Judy] Ms. Hale?
- [Deonna] Yes, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] Just so that you
know...

[Deonna] Uh-hmm.

[Judge Judy]
...that the veterinary emergency

report on the dog indicate,
and I'm quoting,

"Multiple puncture wounds
to the lateral abdominal wall.

Penetrated abdominal wall wound
present."

- Okay.
- [Judge Judy] Do you understand?

- I do.
- [Judge Judy] Okay.

May I respond?

[Judge Judy]
Only with something intelligent.

[Deonna] Okay, then okay, then I
would like to...

You know, only with something in...

- [Deonna] I would like to respond.
- [Judge Judy] Sure.

you're reading me a vet bill that
says that his dog had injuries,

correct?

Multiple puncture w...wounds
to the lateral abdominal wall,

penetrating the abdominal wound
present.

Okay. So, I have a question.

[Judge Judy] I don't have an answer.

- I don't wanna answer questions.
- [Deonna] Okay. Okay.

- So, there were no...
- I don't...I don't need...

[Deonna] When I saw the dog that...

at...right after
when I went to their house,

there were no wounds at all.

- [LaRenzo] My dog [indistinct]
- And not only that,

when he went to the vet,
he's saying that there were...

now all of a sudden,
there were puncture wounds, but...

[Judge Judy] No, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no.

He's not saying anything.
He gave me a report. He gave me...

[Deonna] Right. What I'm saying
is... first of all,

- our dogs never touched.
- [Judge Judy] Okay.

- I understand what you're saying.
- Second...he...

if there were injuries to that dog,
he did that.

He did that to his dog.

Me and my daughter...

- Just a second.
- [Deonna] He absolutely...

no, not your daughter.
I believe you did it.

I believe you did it, because there
were no wounds to that dog

and you know it.

Right.

You know it.

[LaRenzo] I hurt my own dog.
- [Deonna] They never...

- yes, you absolutely did.
- Shh, shh, shh.

Mr. Marshall.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

[Judge Judy] I got it.

[Deonna] No, and he's...

and then he's begging off
of the prejudices of pit bull.

My dog is a twelve-year-old
arthritic dog

with joint hip dysplasia
and joint problems.

- [indistinct]
- I have videos of her trying to

walk. She can't even run
like the way he's saying she did.

I can show you.

[LaRenzo] But she ran out and bit my
dog.

[Deonna] But she didn't.

She's not gonna take down
what you're saying.

[Deonna] That's, uh, that's fine.

But as long as you know what the
truth is.

- Uh, just a second. I'm not...
- [Deonna] Whatever the outcome is,

- I'm here to tell you the truth.
- Miss Hale,

I have to tell you

- that it's very, very hard...
- [Deonna] Uh-hmm.

...for me to imagine
that the parent of any child,

no less a Down's child who is an
affectionate child, that's...

[Deonna] Which is why I'm
[indistinct] on that.

I...Don't. Don't.

Hey, accidents happen.

It didn't happen, ma'am.

[Judge Judy]
Well, you want me...just a second.

- [Deonna] Ma'am, it did not happen.
- Just a second.

And what you want me to believe

is that this man took his dog home
and took

- something like an ice pick.
- [Deonna] Yes, ma'am.

And [indistinct] well,
if you could...well...

[Deonna] I don't...what he used...
I don't know what he did.

There absolutely
were no injuries to the dog.

[Judge Judy] Well, Ms. Hale, Ms.
Hale,

you acknowledged
that you had no control of your dog,

and your dog went
running down the driveway,

walking down the driveway,
sprinting down the driveway,

crawling down the driveway,

but at some point,
you didn't have control of the dog.

- Yes, ma'am.
- [Judge Judy] Okay. Is it correct

that you were advised of your right
to an administrative hearing

if you did not consent to three
years probation for your dog?

No, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] And that both you
and your husband did not want a

hearing and agreed to the probation
period,

- is that correct?
- [Deonna] No, ma'am.

That is not correct.
In fact, um, actually, we...

this is the first time we saw that
and so,

I actually called the officer
and spoke with him today.

And I have...I have a text message
from him with that...

uh, well, not from him,
but from me to him about that.

- I don't care.
- [Deonna] Okay.

I don't do text messages, madam.

Would you like the officer's phone
number?

- Just a second. Absolutely not.
- Okay.

- That's your witness, you bring him.
- [Deonna] Okay.

- Page three.
- [Deonna] Uh-hmm.

[Judge Judy] I advised Deonna
and Dewey, that would be the two of

you, that they would need to display
the potentially dangerous dog sign

that was provided by the shelter,

and by Leila's dangerous dog license.

I advised on three years probation.

I provided Deonna with my card
and case number

and with definitions pertaining
to the above laws,

I then cleared the scene.

Then on June the 2nd, he next says,

"I spoke to the animal owner,
Deonna Hale, via phone

who stated that she will be in this
week to sign the contracts to,

to obtain potentially dangerous sign
and license for Leila.

Hale has already been cited
for the above violation."

Okay. So this is what the officer
wrote in his report.

First, they talked about a prior
incident,

which I assume was the incident
you're...

[Deonna] That I was...uh-hmm.

q...quiet with some other dog.

I must tell you

that when they spoke
to your husband the first time

about this incident,

he says he was complaining

that these small dogs

are always defecating on his
property.

Yes, we've had arguments with the
neighbors about it [indistinct]

[Judge Judy]
Just a...just a...just a second.

I'm just reading you what he said
with regard to the prior incident.

[Deonna] Uh-hmm.

[Judge Judy] He said he interviewed
you and on the day of the incident,

- Deonna had just...this is what...
- That...

[Deonna] We never interviewed
about the prior incident.

On the day...just a second.
On the day of the incident, May 18th.

- Okay. May 18th.
- [Judge Judy] Pay, pay attention.

Deonna had just got back
from walking Leila.

Deonna took off Leila's chain
near the back porch of the residence.

Deonna walked me up her driveway

and to the area where the incident
started

and she removed Leila's chain.

When Leila heard

the little dog's, Kitty's tags
jingling...

No, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] I'm reading you
what the officer wrote.

Leila ran off

and Deonna immediately chased after
her.

This is what the officer says, you
said.

He has proof showing that he took
his dog to a vet days later,

- so he's saying that...
- [Judge Judy] No, no, no.

- [Deonna] ...he went to the vet...
- [Judge Judy] No, no, no.

[Deonna] ...and they told him
to go home with wounds?

He...what you want me to believe

- is that this man took a...
- Yes.

There's no attitude here but mine.

[announcer] LaRenzo Marshall
says his neighbor, Deonna Hale,

is responsible for vet bills

after her pit bull attacked his dog.

[Judge Judy] Okay.
Deonna walked me to the area

where the interaction occurred.

Deonna stood on the public sidewalk

and stated that the man, Marshall,

was swinging the little dog, Kitty,
around on her leash.

[Deonna] Uh-hmm. That is correct.

[Judge Judy] Deonna quickly hit Leila
with the chain.

Deonna jumped on Leila
to gain control of her.

Deonna told the man to get his dog.

Deonna stated that, that he saw the
man

had a small special needs child with
him.

Deonna was concerned for the child

and walked to 1240 North [...]

to make sure the child was okay.

Deonna stated she was met

with the small dog owner, Marshall,

who had the dog in a blanket
and was holding it.

The male stated he was taking
the dog to the vet.

Deonna stated that she pet the dog

and did not see or feel
any injury on the small dog.

She stated she saw no blood on the
dog.

Deonna stated she saw the whole thing

and Leila did not hurt the small dog.

- That was page four. That's...
- [Deonna] He's elaborating

and he is not using my specific
words.

[Judge Judy] Okay.

If you... are want to use
my specific words, I was...

I can show you the picture of where
he's talking about on the driveway...

[Judge Judy] Did you... did you...
did you...did...

- did you...I'm speaking.
- [Deonna] You're relying on...

- [Deonna] words of people...
- I'm speaking.

Did you go and pick up the sign
as you were directed to do?

That's a yes or no.

- That's a yes or no.
- No, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] Okay. Did you get
your dog licensed in Stockton?

- Yes, ma'am.
- [Judge Judy] When?

On July 7th.

- Between...
- [Deonna] And that's when I was...

Just a...just a...just a second.



I was...can I tell you...I was
advised...

You can't tell me what you were
advised.

You can show me a document if you
like,

- that says something...
- Okay. Can I show you?

[Judge Judy] I'll take a look at the
document, any document you have.

- [Deonna] So this is the license.
- Don't...

just hand him the document.

[Deonna] And that's that.

[Judge Judy] Well, this would be
a reminder notice.

Violation date is 05/26.

Amount due, $4,790.

What is $4,000 for?

Because...the way it was explained
to me by the officer...

[Judge Judy] No, no, no, no, no.

- Did this have to do with the dog?
- [Deonna] Yes.

[chuckles] Did you pay the money?

- No, I...
- [Judge Judy] Just a second.

'Cause if you look at the paper,
it tells you why.

- I was told by the officer...
- I'm just...

...that we can go contest it

because we disagree
with the entire process.

Just a second.

They told us if we got the
letter...

- Just a...
- ...that you were asking about,

if we accepted that letter
and we signed those contracts,

it's saying that we agreed to the
terms.

We do not agree to the terms,
because our dogs never touched.

My dog is not violent.

I'm just telling you what this
says.

- [Deonna] I understand what it says.
- This says amount due...

And it says that we have
to contest it on February 10th.

[Judge Judy] ...amount due, $4,790.

When are you going to contest it?

[Deonna] On February...on February


I think it's on the top of that form.

- [Judge Judy] Of 2022?
- Yes, ma'am.

[Judge Judy] And what's the nature
of the violation?

- [Deonna] Um, the...no, this is the
- No, no, no, no. No, no, no, no.

The nature of the violation has to be

you agreed to probation and you
agreed to put signs up on your lawn.

[Deonna] But we do not.

We do not agree to probation.
We do not agree to put up signs.

My dog is not violent.

The incident
that he is saying did not happen.

[Judge Judy] Okay.

[Deonna] So, I'm not gonna sit
here and say, "I'm going to pay

$4,000 to a city because somebody
else is making up a lie."

[Judge Judy] Good luck...
just, just, just you stay...

you stay with that story.

Somebody may believe you, but I do
not.

I'm staying with the truth.

[Judge Judy] Uh,
somebody may believe you, I do not.

- [Deonna] And why do you not...
- Just, just, just...

[Deonna] Why do you not believe me
when I have proof...

- That's not...just a...
- ...here showing you?

[Judge Judy] Just a second.

[Deonna] He has proof showing
that he took his dog to a vet after

the fact, days later. So he's saying
that he went to the vet...

[Judge Judy] No, no, no. He took...

[Deonna] ...and they told him
to go home with wounds?

They told him to go home with wounds?

The dog, he took his dog home?

[Judge Judy]
I heard... I heard you already.

What you want me to believe, madam,

- is that this man took...
- Yes, did [indistinct] his dog.

There's no...
there's no attitude here but mine.

Uh-hmm.

[Judge Judy] There's still
no attitude here, but mine.

You want me to believe
that this man took his dog,

after this incident, that this man
decided...you're an idiot.

- That this man decided...
- [Deonna] Excuse me?

[Judge Judy] That this man decided
to take an ice pick to his dog

and put multiple puncture wounds
in the dog.

[Deonna] Yes.

[Judge Judy] And that's what you
want me to believe.

- Y...you're an idiot.
- That's what he did.

At first... at first, actually...
at first, actually, Mr. Marshall,

I was gonna reward you the vet fees.

She is so delusional

and she's got a co-conspirator
with her delusions.

- I'm actually embarrassed for you.
- [LaRenzo] Thank you.

I'm actually embarrassed for you.
Judgment for the plaintiff in the

- [indistinct]
- [Judge Judy] ...amount of $4,000.

- We're done.
- [Kevin] Court is adjourned.

He flat out lied.

It's a shame that people can't be
honest.

Our dogs never ever touched
at any point in time.

You know, if you have a dog that does
somethin' wrong,

you should be man enough or woman
enough

to admit it
and take responsibility for yourself.

I believe that he injured his own
dog.

That's really insulting, you know,

that I would actually harm
my daughter's dog.

He walks by our house every single
day to this day.

People are like that nowadays.

When they know they're wrong,
they're gonna try to do everything

they can to avoid paying anything.

[Judge Judy] I think what, to me,
was most outrageous,

was even the suggestion that that man

would purposely injure that dog

in order to get money from these
people,

when he clearly didn't want money
from them.

He originally just said,
"Please just pay my vet bill."

So, I would have to think that he was

really a pretty deranged guy to do
that.

On the flip side of that,
you have this woman

who really didn't see
what happened at the beginning,

because she was running
and chasing after her dog,

because her dog was clearly barking
on the way.

She said nothing to the police
officer

who came and spoke to her about the
dog,

yap, yap, yap, yap yapping
and being up her driveway.

As a matter of fact, she took the
officer

to the place on the public sidewalk

where the incident took place,
which means that her dog

was out of her control
on the public sidewalk,

not on the driveway.

It so defies credulity

that that kind of behavior, which
is...

was really an accident,

but animals are animals.

And that's why they're supposed to
be under your control at all times.

And what you're supposed to do
is if that happens,

accept responsibility for it.

[Sarah] Take accountability.

[Judge Judy] Take accountability.

And neither she nor her husband

who appeared to be
very intelligent people.

Intelligent doesn't necessarily
make you smart.

Very true.

[announcer] Want justice?



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