LAPD Animal Control Officers Robert Aragon and Alisa Lenderman chat with Krishna Picard, attorney for the Mauro family prior to Monday’s court hearing. Photo by Maire O”Neill/losalamosdailypost.com
Leslie Sherman, right, awaits her Magistrate Court hearing Monday. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.comConfusion was the order of the day in Los Alamos Magistrate Court Monday during a hearing for Leslie Sherman of White Rock. She was charged with two counts of keeping an animal known to be vicious and likely to attack human beings, related to the death last month of a small Bichon Frise dog at an Acoma Lane home. Sherman’s dogs were reportedly responsible for the death.
Sherman was represented in court by Attorney Aaron Boland and the Mauro family, owners of the deceased dog, was represented by Attorney Krishna Picard.
The first issue of concern in court was whether or not Animal Control Ofc. Robert Aragon and Public Service Aide Alisha Lenderman were the prosecutors in the case. Boland complained that he had not received discovery from LAPD and that there were issues with how the charges were filed in the court.
Boland also raised the question of whether the dogs could be released by Animal Control to Sherman and whether Sherman should ever have had criminal charges filed against her as Boland maintained the charges should have been against the dogs.
Following lengthy discussion, Judge Pat Casados ordered LAPD to provide discovery to Boland by May 3. She opted to have the two dogs remain at the animal shelter until a hearing scheduled for May 12 to determine whether the dogs are dangerous. Picard asked the court to allow the Mauro family to have a voice at the hearing and Casados said they will be heard.