Murder suspect’s pit bulls saw ‘child as meal,’ prosecutor says
ASSOCIATED PRESS / 2014
In this file photo, Cameron Younglove plays with a pit bull terrier named Sooke at his kennels near Eudora, Kan., on March 9, 2014.
DETROIT » The parents of a 4-year-old boy killed by a pack of pit bulls welcomed a murder charge brought against the dogs’ owner today, saying he deserves “whatever he has coming to him.”
“Life in jail, no parole, electric chair, I just want him to feel the pain I feel,” said Clarence Strickland, the father of Xavier Strickland.
“Feel the pain my son felt when those dogs were eating him up, just feel the pain. My son getting mauled, I never expected it. …To snatch a baby from up under his mama, drag him under the fence and eat him like he was dog food or something, it’s terrible. I never expected this.”
Geneke Antonio Lyons, 41, who owned the four dogs, was arraigned Monday afternoon on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and possessing dangerous animals causing death.
“The evidence in this case will show that these dogs saw this child as meal, and we believe that we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the alleged actions of the defendant in this case rise to the level of murder in the second degree,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a news release, announcing the criminal charges. “It is a gross understatement to say that this case is harrowing example of irresponsible pet ownership.”
Also on Monday, the family announced it was filing two lawsuits against Lyons and the property owner, a limited license corporation owned by Lyons.
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The four pit bulls attacked Xavier last Wednesday, dragging him away from his mother as they walked along Baylis Street near the John C. Lodge Freeway on the city’s west side, according to Worthy’s office.
Three of the dogs were killed by shots fired by a police sergeant at the scene. A fourth dog was quarantined and later euthanized.
At his arraignment Monday in 36th District Court, Lyons was remanded to the county jail without bond. He said nothing as he was arraigned via video camera.
Lyons’ attorney, seeking an affordable bond, said his client had no criminal record, did not abuse drugs, was gainfully employed and paid his taxes. But Magistrate Dawn White ordered Lyons back to jail without explanation.
“Step away from the camera, sir,” White ordered, closing the hearing.
The family’s attorney, Mark Bernstein, said in a statement that Xavier’s death should force the community to consider what they believe is a “longstanding problem of Detroit property and dog owners who fail to show an acceptable level of responsibility to protect their innocent neighbors.”
Lucillie Strickland was walking with Xavier at about 12:30 p.m. Dec. 2 on her way to volunteer at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School when the pit bulls rushed at them. She fell on the boy and was bit on her ear, leg and back. And as she was getting up, the dogs grabbed Xavier.
The dogs pulled him away from her grasp, dragged him under a fence and mauled him to death as she watched in horror.
According to Bernstein, the dogs dragged the boy about 25 feet across the street and into a pen where they were normally held inside the yard. The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death an accident and said Xavier died of multiple puncture wounds.
The prosecutor’s news release said the dogs had been a known problem in the neighborhood and had escaped their fenced area in the past. Xavier’s uncle, Ramone Cage, previously said that the boy’s 9-year-old sister had been attacked by the dogs last month but got away. Neighbors previously told the Detroit Free Press they had seen the dogs outside before as well.
“These dogs were constantly tormenting people,” Lucillie Strickland said. Clarence Strickland said he sometimes walked by the home on the way to his railroad job. He said “everyone was afraid” of the dogs in the neighborhood.
The lawsuit states that Xavier’s mother was permanently injured trying to save her son’s life.
“This case should be a wake-up call for our community,” Bernstein said. “We get calls every day at our office about injuries caused by dogs with dangerous owners. But this affects our region more profoundly — it’s the death of a child. It’s time to address this problem in a very serious way.”
Bernstein also represented Steve Constantine, a man who was viciously attacked by a pack of dogs outside a Detroit home last October. Constantine lost most of his left arm, his left leg below the knee and his left ear in the mauling. Police killed one dog and rounded up at least 11 others.
Bernstein said a $100 million “symbolic” judgment was awarded to Constantine and he hopes a similar outcome in the Stricklands’ case, which he called another tragic example of irresponsible dog owners.
“That case involved horrific facts involving an attack of pit bulls very similar to this,” Bernstein said. “We believe that this case has elements of it that are every bit as horrific as that and perhaps worse. … We are done accepting this and we are going to make a statement with this case, just as we did what that, and we’re going to proceed very aggressively.”
This isn’t the first time for Lyons has been charged with a crime. On May 22, 1993, he was convicted in Wayne County Circuit Court of a felony possession of between 50 and 225 grams of cocaine. It was not immediately clear whether he served any prison time for the conviction.
Lyons was indicted in 2005 on a money laundering charge after he was stopped and arrested in Shamrock, Texas, according to court records. Texas Department of Safety troopers seized $106,254 in cash from his 2005 Jeep, the records show.
Lyons sued the state of Texas in an attempt to recoup the money seized from his vehicle, but he lost the case, according to Texas court records. He later filed an appeal that went all the way to the Texas Supreme Court, which denied his petition on April 8, 2011. The criminal charge was later dropped in 2013, according to the court records.
Detroit Free Press staff writer Gina Damron contributed to this report.
24 responses to “Murder suspect’s pit bulls saw ‘child as meal,’ prosecutor says”
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This is a terrible thing to have happened to the little boy and his mom. But what if she was packing a handgun? Perhaps the result would have been different?
True. Common sense has gone out the window. Since when does it seem like a good idea to have a pack of vicious dogs that you can’t control guarding your house?
Nobody should have to carry a gun to protect themselves and their kids from a pack of vicious dogs. It’s ridiculous to use that as a rationale for packing heat. Might as well say, people should carry guns in case Martians try to abduct them.
You wouldn’t want to be carrying in that area of Detroit if you were stopped by the cops. You’d be lucky to get out of that situation alive.
Actually Detroit Chief of poiice is advocating gun ownership as way to reduce crime in his city. Michigan has one of the toughest gun laws in the country and apparently he feels it does not work. State requires that yup you attend gun class before purchase.
We’re of course discussing the legal carry and use of a handgun for self defense. If this situation isn’t an example where a defensive handgun was immediately needed, then I don’t know what is. While it’s true the tragedy didn’t happen in a wilderness area, a pack of vicious city dogs is no less deadly than a mountain lion or a bear. I doubt very much that being unarmed and satisfying the pacifist sentiment of some idealists is any consolation to the mother who witnessed her child being horribly killed.
Good reply by Delta, you should be allowed to defend your life by any means. I also read that a pack of 3 human predators raped a woman and forced the boyfriend to watch in this same city. Time for concealed carry when law enforcement comes totally after the crime.
Drug dealer using his Dogs as protection and amusement. Ever shot a dog, very difficult especially if they are moving violently or with purpose. They also do not go down easily. Saw a cop use a rifle to put one down on Maui, took two rounds and he was standing still. Owner wanted dog after biting family members. First hit him and pissed him off. Second round killed him.
People who hunt down wild dogs on the mainland have observed that killing or severely wounding the leader (generally the biggest animal) typically takes the fight out of the rest of the pack. A mated pair is the exception. Double-ought loaded repeating shotguns are preferred for this kind of work in close cover, rifles on the AR-15 platform in more open country.
Same way the pack of Republicans works, too.
Story took place on a sidewalk in Detroit — not the ideal place to be packing your Benelli.
I thought everyone in Detroit packed a gun.
“Limited license corporation?” Where do these writers get their education. It’s Limited Liability Company.
I just renewed my dog’s license today.
i came here for the tacos
He should be charged with reckless homicide.
Pit bulls are like serial killers: nice, friendly and even charming until that crossed wire kicks in and they kill.
It is sheer lunacy to allow these animals to be kept as pits.
kept as pets
…kept as pest?
Republicans pardon all crimes.
“Three of the dogs were killed by shots fired by a police sergeant at the scene. A fourth dog was quarantined and later euthanized.” Thank you Mr. police sergeant! Now THAT’S affirmative action.
Can’t shoot the homeless, though.
Wall Street sees Main Street as a ATM machine.
Welfare recipients see the government as a source of wealth, too.
so sad that this poor lil boy had to die and be mauled to death before anything was done…
the owner(s) absolutely need to endure what the boy agonzied – endured…
these poor parents… may they find the peace, love and blessings.
RIP – little angel…
My two dogs were almost killed just outside our door by a pair of pitbulls who entered our yard. I was fortunate I was not mauled myself trying to defend my dogs. The consequences of irresponsible dog ownership are severe when the dogs are pitbulls, but I am sick of apologists who claim, “It’s not the dogs, it’s the owners.” It is the dogs and their nature…they are not to be trusted. Sadly the Maui Humane Society is a pitbull sanctuary and promotes pitbull adoption and ownership. They defend the dogs while ignoring the risks to the public. It was traumatizing enough for me to see the dogs maul my pets. I can’t imagine how horrifying it was for the poor mom to see her child killed. No matter how loving or loyal they can be, pitbulls are inherently dangerous. I wish the Maui Humane Society would be more aware of attacks like this and wake up and change their policy on being a pitbull protectorate.