Lady Gaga’s dognapper has been sentenced to 21 years in jail.
Lady Gaga’s dognapper has been sentenced to 21 years in jail
James Howard Jackson, who shot the singer’s dog walker and stole two of her French bulldogs in an attack last year, accepted a plea deal on Monday (05.12.22) and will be locked in Los Angeles County prison.
According to the LA County District Attorney’s Office, Jackson pleaded no contest to one count of attempted murder but admitted the allegation of inflicting great bodily injury and to a prior strike.
He had been charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit a robbery and assault with a semi-automatic weapon.
The district attorney’s office said in a statement: “The plea agreement holds Mr Jackson accountable for perpetrating a cold hearted violent act and provides justice for our victim.”
Jackson was one of five people who participated in the violent robbery of Gaga’s pets, but authorities say the gang did not specifically target the singer as they did not know the dogs belonged to the musician.
They instead believe the group’s motive was the value of the French bulldogs, who can sell for tens of thousands of dollars each.
Jackson and his accomplices drove around several Los Angeles neighborhoods on February 24 last year in search of the breed, prosecutors have said, and targeted Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, when they saw him with three of her animals – Asia, Koji and Gustav – on Sunset Boulevard.
Jackson hit, choked and shot Ryan in an attack recorded by the doorbell camera of a nearby home.
The recording captured the dog walker screaming: “Oh, my God! I´ve been shot!” as well as “Help me!” and “I´m bleeding out from my chest!”
Ryan lost part of his lung in what he called a “very close call” with death.
Koji and Gustav were returned several days after the attack by Jennifer McBride, who was also charged in the crime.
Another accomplice of Jackson’s, Harold White, pleaded no contest on Monday in the case and will be sentenced next year.
Earlier this year, Harold’s son, Jaylin White, pleaded no contest to second-degree robbery and was sentenced to four years in prison.