Other prominent pit bull cases

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, October 2007:
“Two months after a tipster reported seeing emaciated dogs
and dry water bowls” at the home of rap star DMX in Cave Creek,
Arizona, “there have been no arrests,” reported Carol Sowers of the
Arizona Republic on October 6, 2007. American SPCA forensic
veterinarian Melinda Merck reported after performing necropsies on
August 18 that she was unable to determine the causes of death of
three pit bull terriers who were found buried on the premises.
Guns, marijuana, and cocaine were also found on the property.
“Brad Blackwell, who had been hired to care for the pit
bulls, told deputies that the buried dogs were likely in the house
in cages and died after the air conditioning broke down,” Sowers
wrote. A different vet told the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
that the dogs were suffering from valley fever, an infectious lung
disease. Blackwell told the sheriff’s office that he had told DMX,
whose actual name is Earl Simmons, that he could look after the dogs
“just for a couple of days” before going on vacation.
“We are still interviewing possible witnesses,” Sheriff Joe
Arpaio told Sowers.

The Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled in mid-October 2007
that “police can’t use a general fear of pit bulls to enter a
suspect’s home without knocking,” Associated Press reported. Luis
Santiago, of Springfield, Massachusetts, charged with drug
offenses and receiving stolen property, held that police improperly
used a “no-knock” to search his house. “Prosecutors appealed a lower
court ruling suppressing evidence seized from Santiago’s home based
on the improper search warrant. The Appeals Court upheld the
suppression order,” Associated Press said. “The court says police
have to show a particular pit bull is violent, instead of claiming
all pit bulls are aggressive.”