02x132 - Pit Bull Ambush (Part 2)

[bunniefuu]

[Judy] If I got bitten by

somebody's vicious dog...

That's a traumatic event.

We had an agreement that she signed.

It says this agreement

settles a dog bite.

Why did you sign this?

I was very high on narcotics

coming out of the hospital.

I do not remember signing this.

[Narrator] This

is Judy Justice.

[Narrator] Previously on Judy Justice...

She wasn't trespassing
in your house madam.

She wasn't burglarizing your house.

- She was bitten by your pit bull.
- Right but...

- [Judy] That's what the case is about.
- She was told not to go into my house.

If I believe you.

Now I'm gonna look

at your video.

[video] You got it.

Oh my god.

[dog barks]

-[dog barks, growls, and bites]
-Oh god!

-[dog continues barking]
-I'm so sorry!

She even said it was her fault.

[Judy] It wasn't her fault.
It was your fault.

- You have the dangerous animal.
- How is it...

How is it my fault?

- I told her not to go into my house
- [Judy] Don't ask me.

Don't ask me any questions, madam.

[Narrator] And now the conclusion.

Myla Bazen is suing

her former employer, Sarah Adams,

for lost wages and pain and suffering

after being bit

by Sarah's pit bull.

[Judy] Okay. My issue actually is,

in addition to everything else,

why would
a seemingly smart woman,

have a dog that she would

have to warn people about

to come to her front door?

Why? I say to myself, "Why?"
I don't understand that.

And when I was preparing
for this case today,

looking at the complaint
and looking at the answer, I...

I could do a little multitasking...

I was reading the newspaper.

This is today.

A 7-year-old Louisiana girl was
mauled to death

by a neighbor's pit bull

after it ran into her family yard.

The name of the person is here,
was a child,

was "playing outside
her East Baton Rouge Parish home

Friday, when the dog barreled onto
the property and viciously attacked her.

A family member tried to stop the dog by

hitting it with a walking cane,

but the animal couldn't be deterred.

First-grader suffered multiple bites to
her face and severe skull damage.

She died.

The dog was euthanized.

The dog's owner told the officers
he wasn't home during the attack

and regularly lets
the dog roam the neighborhood.

He was charged Saturday
with homicide.

Yeah.

Perfect!

Perfect. I would go right from

charge to execution.

I also have proof

that another lady down the street was
bitten by it.

[Judy] Just... I'm gonna get to you.
I'm not finished.

I'm not finished. I don't understand.
I have others.

I have others, cause it looks like...
you look like...

Dog-sitting mom k*lled by pit bulls.

North Carolina woman was mauled to death

by two pit bulls she was dog-sitting for

after the mother warned her to stop
watching the animals,

according to reports.

That's all.

Husband came home and found her
in the backyard being eaten by

two pit bulls she was watching
for her son.

I don't understand. I have more.

but I won't bore you with those.

So I don't understand
why intelligent people

have a dog that they know is capable
of k*lling somebody.

Of just turning
and k*lling somebody.

I don't understand it.

I think... you know,

insurance companies can...

can legally discriminate against
people who have

pit bulls by saying we're not gonna
insure you.

And there's a reason for that.

But Your Honor, I told her before she left
not to go into my house.

- Ah. Ahhh.
- [Sarah] My dog was outside.

- My dog was in my home.
- [Myla] Yeah.

- Protecting my family...
- [Judy] I want you to look...

I want you to look

at the video again.

And unless your daughter is a moron

and can't follow your instructions,

she did not say to her, "Wait outside."

- She saw...
- I understand that

[Judy] Just a second. She saw her.

She was in charge of your home that day.

She permitted her to come in

and put the drink down.

She did that!

- She... you want to watch the video again?
- No.

- No, I don't need to watch the video.
- [Judy] Good. So you acknowledge it.

So I don't care what you said to her.

When she got there,
the circumstances was such

that your daughter...

who is taller than you are...

was very happy to have her come in

instead of saying you're not allowed

to come into my house 'cause we have
this vicious dog.

- She's not vicious.
- We have...

Oh yes, a dog that...

a dog that bites somebody that's

- coming in with...
- She was protecting my children

- in my home.
- [Judy] Oh, just a second.

I understand what you're saying
and I'm saying to you

that she came in

with your daughter within
inches from her.

And your daughter,

when she opened the door...

didn't you see the dog?

- Yep!
- No, I didn't realize.

- [Judy] What?! You didn't realize?
- No.

It happened so fast. When I heard
the door, I then realized.

So, I came back to rush

to stop Myla, but she already got bit.
It was too late.

So, it is my fault.

Right!

[Judy] I love that.

It's too bad you can't teach that
to your mother.

- [Myla chuckles]
- [Judy] It really is too bad

you can't teach your mother
to say, "It's my fault."

I have a dog that can be vicious.

And so far the dog has not been vicious
to my children."

I hope for your sake,

and your brother's sake

that one day the dog doesn't get annoyed
with one of your brothers.

I just hope. I mean,

this lady was about your size. The one
that was k*lled by the two pit bulls.

An older lady.

So, I'm hoping.
Your mother chooses

to have that
instead of double locks

taking care of her children? Great!

But then she has to pay
the consequences.

I mean, I have to tell you

I'm old. I'm very old.

I'm probably the oldest person
that you know.

- [chuckles]
- [Judy] I have never read

one article

where a Shih Tzu k*lled a person.

That's why I have Shih Tzus.

You have chihuahuas?

- Yes.
- I have never heard about

a chihuahua k*lling a person

- [Myla chuckles]
- [Judy] Ever!

[Narrator] Myla Bazen claims

her former employer, Sarah Adams,

owes for injuries after being bit

by Sarah's dog.
Sarah says

Myla accepted a $300 settlement

from the incident.

[Judy] Now. May I see

the note that you had
from the previous neighbor.

Yeah. So this is a text message

from Sarah to me stating that

- the neighbor down...
- Ah don't... don't. I can read.

- [Myla] Okay.
- Nobody can state here.

[Judy] Okay.

What was the name of the other woman
that got bit by your dog?

Your Honor, it was my neighbor and...

Just a second! I asked you for a name!

[Judy] Did she get bitten anywhere
around this time?

No.

[Judy] What year?

It was 2020,

and it was a dog fight
that me and her were

both trying to break up.

Just a second.

It was 2020.

- 2021, excuse me.
- [Judy] Okay.

- She is my neighbor.
- [Judy] Just a...

Just a second. So,

a year before... when in 2021?
Give me a month.

- I don't remember.
- [Judy] Summer, fall,

- [Judy] winter, spring.
- Fall.

- It was fall.
- [Judy] Fall.

So you're talking about
September or October?

Somewhere around there, yes.

[Judy] Was she treated for the dog bite?

No, your Honor. It was...

- ...not severe.
- [Judy] Just a second.

[Judy] The answer is no. She was

not treated for her dog bite.

- Not seen by anybody.
- Correct.

[Judy] Okay. Can I see photographs

of the dog bite, please?

Sure thing. I also

have the first initial appearance

that went to the hospital.

Now you can step back up.
I have another question for you.

[Judy] Now, you were there. I heard you

say from inside, "Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry."

- Is that right?
- Yes.

[Judy] Yeah. At least twice.

Now after this happened,

- what did the plaintiff do?
- She called me...

Don't!

After this happened,

just you and your two younger brothers
were home.

What did the plaintiff do?
She was sitting outside

on the porch.

- We came, and I gave her some towels.
- [Judy] Who's we?

My brother.

So you got some towels.
I saw

-she asked you for some towels.
- [April] Mm-hmm.

And then we tried to give her
some bandaids.

Put the paper down. You're annoying me.

Umm, she said, "Just let me come in."
So, I put away the dog.

[Judy] She said what?!

"Just let me come in."

So I put away the dog.

And I put her...

she was in my mom's bathroom, and we
were finding bandaids and rinsing it off.

- And then she came to...
- [Judy] I didn't ask you a question.

She's in your mother's bathroom.
She's trying to clean it up,

and you put the dog where?

We have kennels for them. Cages.

- [Judy] In kennels?
- [April] Mm-hmm.

Okay. You have kennels for them that
you put them in what time of day?

Or when anybody is coming over?

When do you use the kennels?

Uhh, we use them when we leave,

or about to leave, or if somebody is
coming over they haven't met.

Now, you knew
that the plaintiff was coming over.

Your mother had told you
the plaintiff was coming over.

- Yes.
- [Judy] Okay.

And did your mother tell you when...
that phone conversation

would ordinarily ask,

because I know... I live with people
your age and some a little bit older...

"When is McDonald's going to be here?"

"When is it going to be here?"

- Did you ask your mother that question?
- No.

Did she give you any indication about
how long it would take?

- No.
- How did you know

when plaintiff arrived?

The car pulled up.

- So you were looking outside for the car?
- Yes.

Great.

And when you were looking

outside for the car,
you knew the food had arrived.

- Yeah.
- You went outside.

Yes. I closed the door right behind me.

[Judy] Of course.

You closed the door behind you.
You went and got the food.

There was extra food.

She was clearly following you,

and you clearly saw that she following you
into the house.

- No.
- Well, by the time

you got to the front door...
you want to see it again?

You turned around

and saw she was there behind you.

That's when...
when I went into the house...

[Judy] No, no no, no, no, right before.

Right before.

Play it again, Sam.

[sighs]

[video plays].

[Judy] She is now out of the car.

You're calling your brothers.

[voice from video] What?

[Judy] Turn around, you look at her and
smile. Say nothing.

She walks in.

You say nothing to her.

[dogs growl and bark]

- [dog bites]
- [Myla] Oh god!

I am so sorry

[Judy] Got it. Don't say
"Don't come in here."

"Don't come in, just leave it outside."

You're both smiling.

Smiling.

I am so sorry

You wanna see it again?

No, you were both smiling
when you walked in.

Play it again, Sam!

[aggravated sigh]

[voice from video] What?

[Myla] You got it?

[dogs growl and bark]

- [dog bites]
- [Myla] Oh god!

[Judy] Okay. Thank you.

Got it?

- Got it?
- Yeah.

[Judy] Okay. Very good.

Ms. Bazen, quite frankly,

the only thing that's distressing to me

about your complaint

is that you're only suing her for $3,500.

- That was...
- That's the only thing

that is...
As far as I'm concerned,

you could've just as easily been
really seriously injured.

And to me, people who keep...
will keep an aggressive dog...

that's an aggressive dog...

at home for whatever reason,

especially a breed that has been
determined to be

a potentially dangerous breed of animal,

deserves any consequences.

This guy... this 20-year-old idiot...
is going to jail!

If I was sentencing him,

he would go to jail for a very long time

as an example!

Maybe you have to set examples for people

who allow innocent people

to get k*lled because they like
a particular breed of dog.

I mean, I have to tell you.

I'm old. I'm very old.

I'm probably the oldest person
that you know.

- [chuckles]
- [Judy] I have never read one article

where a Shih Tzu k*lled a person.

That's why I have Shih Tzus.

I've never heard...

I've heard them...
ah, they bit my finger, maybe.

You know, they rip my stockings.

They ate the furniture leg.

But I've never read a piece...

You have Chihuahuas?

You have a Chihuahua?

- Yes.
- I've never heard about

a Chihuahua k*lling a person.

- [giggles]
- Ever!

Ever. So if you're dumb enough
to have a dog...

you have to accept the consequences.

This guy is going to
accept the consequences

for his stupidity for letting his

pit bull roam around

by going to jail.

And you will accept the consequences by

paying the exact amount that she is
requesting which is $3,500.

Your counterclaim is stupid!

- And it's dismissed and I'm...
- [Sarah] Your Honor.

- ...done with you.
- [Sarah] Your Honor, we had...

- [Judy] I'm done with you.
- ...an agreement that she signed.

I'm done with you.

We had an agreement that she signed.

I was very high on narcotics
and coming under

the influence of
coming out of the hospital.

I do not remember signing this.

And if it was, it was for her
to make me feel better

because of what had happened.

I'm sorry, Ms. Bazen,
but that's not going to fly with me.

[Narrator] Defendant, Sarah Adams,
is accusing

her former employee,
Myla Bazen,

of harrassment
after her dog bit Myla.

Myla claims she did not agree
to Sarah's $300 settlement.

We had an agreement that she signed.

- She signed the agreement...
- [Judy] Just a sec.

for $300 and we were done!

Okay, I'd like to see that.

- [Sarah] Please.
- If she...

On top of that,
the next day she came back

into my house to meet
the dog...

- I don't care. I don't care.
- ...that bit her.

- You made me... [voices overlap].

- Made me meet the dog.
- [voices overlap]

- Because she got bit.
- Why would you bring that

She, she, she picked at it. I have
all these evidence that she picked at it.

And that's what it turned into
because she didn't take care of it.

I have to tell you I don't care

whether she took care of it
or whether it got infected.

If I got bitten
by somebody's vicious dog,

I don't care whether
it got infected or not.

That's a traumatic event.

- Only reason I was suing for...
- [Judy] But it's just... just a second.

- But if you signed a release to her...
- [Sarah] She did.

- [Judy] ...that's a different story.
- [Myla] No, it isn't.

- [Sarah] She signed that paper.
- [Judy] Shhh, don't!

Why did you sign this?

This is clear. First, she... Kevin.

Can I see it, please?

[Myla] And when is it dated on?

[snickers]

Well, it says this agreement settles
a dog bite that happened on 7/18.

- This was signed...
- [Judy] Shhh!

- in October or November
- [Judy] Shhhh!

If you shout out again...

[Myla] Because I was missing, um,

all my money. I was not getting paid.
I needed something from her.

- I came from the hospital.
- What do you... I don't understand.

What do you mean
you weren't getting... here.

Is there a date on this?

[Sarah] And do have other things that

she signed if you need to
verify the signature.

I was very high on narcotics,

coming under the influence
of coming out of the hospital.

I do not remember signing this.

And if it was, it was for her
to make me feel better

because of what had happened.

I'm sorry, Ms. Bazen,
that's not going to fly with me.

- Well...
- It's not going to fly with me.

- If you accepted the $300...
- No. I didn't.

[Judy] Shhh!

Pay careful attention to what I'm saying
before you answer.

If you and the defendant
in any action

can at any time...
even without a lawyer...

neither of you have a lawyer...

shhh! I'm speaking...

...can settle a claim...

if they wish...

to settle a claim before
getting the courts involved.

- Mm-hmm.
- [Judy] That can happen.

And that should happen
in many instances.

I'm not quite sure of this one,

but it certainly
should happen more often than not.

You settled for less than
what you were entitled to.

You settled for $300.

Did she give you $300?

- No, Your Honor.
- May I see that document, please?

[Myla] She did not.

[Judy] Okay.

- Let's see whether she...
- Also referring to a car battery...

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

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

"I agree to give Myla $300."

- Did she give it to you?
- No.

[Judy] Show me that you gave it to her.

- And when.
- I gave her cash.

It's on camera at work. I handed
her at work with my boss there.

My boss...
you can call him right now...

- I'm not calling.
- ...he will corroborate it.

Listen to me. I'm not calling your boss.

That's your problem to prove it.

I also helped her

- when her car broke down.
- I don't care.

- Paid for a battery.
- I don't care.

- I paid for Lyft rides for her.
- Listen to me.

- I don't care.
- Your dog bit me.

[Judy] Shhhhh! I don't care.

All I want to see is

- proof that you handed her...
- I gave

- her cash.
- ...$300. $300.

I don't have proof,
'cause I gave her cash.

Well, that's a problem for you.

- Did she give you cash?
- Your Honor, no.

- She helped me out with the car battery.
- Why would you sign that then?

[Judy] Just a sec.

- It doesn't say you gave her $300.
- Your Honor, she's lying.

It says "I agree to give her..."

She's lying. I handed her $300

and made her... and had her sign that.

At work.

[Sarah] We did it at work.

- She's lying.
- And she threatened me.

Then I'm going to give this to you.

She says you didn't give her the $300.

You have no proof
that you gave her the $300.

- You have no proof.
- I don't. I don't.

You don't have any proof. $3,500.

Judgment for the plaintiff. We're done.

[Kevin] This court is adjourned.

I feel like if it would've been a Shih Tzu
that bit her and did that damage,

I feel like the judge would've favored...

would have gone in my favor.

And I knew I would get justice
coming here for pit bulls.

She takes care of the community,
and I'm so glad that happened that way.

I had a lot of evidence,
and the reason why her bite

turned into what it looks like now

is because she didn't take care of it.
She picked at it.

I was happy to bring the kids food.
I'm that type of person.

Because I have documentation of her

picking at it. She went to the hospital
four different occasions.

Pretty traumatizing.

I know she was fine
because I have text messages

that prove she was fine.

And all of sudden the dog just got me.

And that it was her fault and she knew
better than to go into the house.

Right when I walked in, the dog lynched
and grabbed my leg.

I walked in and then I realized
there was a voice behind me.

I... I went back

and saw that Myla was back
and she got bit by that time.

So I went to go help her.

Locked its jaw.

Her first tooth went really far down deep.

Me and baby girl both had to hit the dog

to get him off of me.

I picked up the dog and I put her
back in her kennel.

Very terrifying. I still have PTSD.

Even watching that video was shocking.

She was constantly complaining
about the dog bite

to myself, my boss, slandering me
at every chance that she got.

Absolutely ridiculous!

And I said, "Myla, look, this needs to be
settled once and for all."

Bullied me and put me in a position,
cornered me, and made me

do what she wanted to do.
She was my boss, so...

whatever she said, I had to do.

What do you want? She's like,
"Give me $300 and I'll sign something

saying we're done." So that's what I did.

I don't know. Some people are different.

[Sarah] So I just wanted to

point out a distinction
in the articles that you brought in,

and I know you've been hearing
these pitbull cases for decades,

so I understand your outrage
every time you see one.

But the distinctions in the news articles

that you brought in today as examples

as well as this case,

there are a couple key differences.
One, the main one, being

in the newspaper articles

the dogs were outside.

Outside the home, outside the control.

And in this case, the defendant wanted to
make it especially known

that the dog never left her home.

However, from a legal standpoint,

it's a more egregious charge

if you allow your dangerous animal
out and about in society

without any sort of warning.

However, just because it's
inside your home,

doesn't absolve you
from that responsibility.

The plaintiff was still an invitee
into the home.

Like you had said, the daughter had
every opportunity from

the street all the way up the sidewalk,

all the way on to the porch,

and even into the screen door that you
can see on the video opened up.

Never once said, "Oh, just wait outside."

- Even with my own dogs.
- Or put the...

Or put the...
or leave the food on the porch.

Even with my own dogs, golden retrievers.

Sometimes I never know
if they're gonna be overexcited.

I say, "Hang on one sec out here.
Let me make sure they're good."

And I make sure they're happy, whatever,
and then I say "Come on in."

So she had every opportunity to do that

and she didn't.
So, like you mentioned to her,

it's not like the plaintiff was
a trespasser or trying to steal

or trying to harm her children.

And you're still responsible for your
dangerous animals even

- if they're inside your home.
- Yeah.

So I just think that's a word to the wise.

It's not just when they are
outside your control

that you can be held liable.

[Judy] I thought it was also interesting,
now that I think about it

and listen to what you're saying...

Usually when you have a dog that you know
is dangerous because...

Let us assume that I believed

her when she said, you know,
"I said don't go into the house,"

which I don't believe her.

You usually have a sign if you live

in a private house and you're using
the dog for protection.

To have a sign...

"dangerous dog"...

- "Beware of dog."
- "Beware of dog."

Because somebody may come
and deliver a package...

- Mm-hmm.
- ...open your screen door.

you never know when something
is gonna happen.

So you at least give the public notice...

- Mm-hmm.
- ...that there is a potentially

a vicious animal inside.
You're absolutely right.

[Narrator] Are you a victim of an as*ault?