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CNN Live At Daybreak

911 Tapes in Deadly Dog Mauling Case

Aired April 03, 2002 - 05:42   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: 911 tapes shed new light on what went on the day those two big dogs ripped apart the body of Diane Whipple. She was mauled to death in the hallway outside her apartment door last year. And last month, the dog's owners were convicted in the case.

Our Don Knapp has excerpts from those tapes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON KNAPP, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The 911 tapes were never used in the trial of Marjorie Knoller and Robert Noel, but they corroborate the testimony of a key prosecution witness to the dog mauling killing of Diane Whipple, that of her neighbor, Esther Birkmaier.

911 OPERATOR: 911.

ESTHER BIRKMAIER, WHIPPLE'S NEIGHBOR: Yes, I'm just a wreck (ph). Please send police to 2398 Pacific Avenue, corner of Filmore (ph). We have two dogs rampaging out in the hall up on the sixth floor, and I think they have their -- you know even their owner cannot control them. They are huge.

911 OPERATOR: OK, the owner knows that the dogs are in the hallway?

BIRKMAIER: Oh, I think they're attacking the owner too, I reckon. She's screaming right now, and I don't dare open the door because these dogs are huge.

911 OPERATOR: What kind of dogs are they?

BIRKMAIER: Well I -- you know I don't know. They're bigger than a police dog.

KNAPP: Birkmaier's apartment was directly across the hall from Whipple's.

BIRKMAIER: Please hurry, I hear her screaming and I don't dare open the door. These dogs are ferocious.

911 OPERATOR: Yes, ma'am. Don't open your door. We'll get somebody right over there, OK. KNAPP: Police dispatchers then called Animal Control.

UNKNOWN FEMALE, ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL: Animal Care & Control.

UNKNOWN FEMALE, SAN FRANCISCO POLICE: Hi, it's San Francisco Police calling. If you could possibly start someone heading over to 2398 Pacific Avenue.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: 2398 Pacific.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: Yes, we just had a lady who lives in that building call in and say there's two very large dogs loose in the hallway on the sixth floor and apparently the owner of the dogs is unable to take control of them.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: OK.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: And she, herself, is yelling for help.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: OK.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: And the police are going to be heading over there.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: OK, very good, we'll send somebody right now.

KNAPP: About the same time, a visitor to an apartment two floors below also heard Whipple's screams for help.

911 OPERATOR: OK, and you heard a male or a lady screaming?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard a woman screaming. There's also a dog up there barking.

911 OPERATOR: OK. And your name, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is David Kensey (ph). And I wanted to call you. I'm going to go up and see what the hell is going on but I (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

911 OPERATOR: I wouldn't -- I wouldn't go up there because you never know what you might get into.

KNAPP: Police and Animal Control officers were sent to the scene, but not soon enough for Esther Birkmaier.

911 OPERATOR: San Francisco Police 911, what is your emergency?

BIRKMAIER: Yes, I called five minutes ago. We have two ferocious dogs on the loose at 2398 Pacific Avenue.

911 OPERATOR: So you've already called us?

BIRKMAIER: Yes.

911 OPERATOR: We're on our way, ma'am. You'll have to just be patient. You only called five minutes ago.

BIRKMAIER: Yes.

911 OPERATOR: All right, thank you. Be patient. Bye.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: That report from Don Knapp.

The dog's owners, as you know, await sentencing in the case. Marjorie Knoller faces 15 years to life for murder and her husband faces up to four years for involuntary manslaughter.

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