Regarding the case of Deborah Linnell, the woman who basically thumbed her nose at city ordinances concerning dogs running loose, Paul Watkins of the Lynnwood Police Department is correct – she did receive a very fair sentence.
Roaming dogs, regardless of how friendly they are, are not only a nuisance but a viable hazard. For every friendly dog, there is a vicious dog, and Grandma or the toddler next door is not going to have the time or the ability to assess that demeanor when met face to face with Fido. And when Fido runs into the street, we can only hope that a three-car collision is avoided by the driver who does everything in her power to avoid hitting him.
Linnell said in a Herald article that she wishes Lynnwood would “fry bigger fish.” Believe me, they do. Judge Stephen Moore does not hand out sentences simply by flipping a coin. He’s tough, but he’s fair. I have been in his courtroom before, and I know first hand that if you disregard the law or ignore the warnings, he’ll fry you quicker than corndogs at the county fair.
I am truly sorry Ms. Linnell lost her husband, and that she is forced to raise her special needs child by herself. As unfortunate as these circumstances are, the bottom line is that she repeatedly broke the law, and now must face the consequences.
Three words – long running chain.
Irene Rodden
Snohomish
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