Man whose three dogs mauled 9-year-old Detroit girl to death acquitted on all charges

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The owner of three dogs that mauled a 9-year-old girl to death in Detroit in 2019 has been found not guilty murder and manslaughter charges following a six-day jury trial.

Pierre Cleveland was acquitted on all three counts, the jury announced Thursday. He was accused of leaving his dogs unsecured, allowing them to escape before they attacked the girl in an alley in Detroit while she was riding her bike. 

The prosecutor's office said it did not agree with the verdict.

"In this case the People presented witnesses who testified they had seen the dogs unsecured and being aggressive," read a statement from Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. 

"One witness testified that he had been attacked by Mr. Cleveland's dogs and he had notified Mr. Cleveland of their aggressive behavior in the past. The jury also had text messages from Cleveland talking about his dogs getting into a fight with each other."

In addition to second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, Cleveland was also acquitted of one count of dangerous animal causing death.