The man who shot Lady Gaga’s dog walker while stealing the Grammy-winning singer’s puppy has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison.
James Howard Jackson, 20, was sentenced to 21 years in prison on Monday for the Feb. 24, 2021, shooting death of Ryan Fischer, who was walking the music The family’s three French bulldogs, reportedly Rolling Stones. Jackson and two other suspects allegedly fled a vehicle with two dogs named Corgi and Gustav, though the dogs were safely returned to police two days later.
“You shot me, let me die, and our lives were changed forever,” Fischer told Jackson at Monday’s sentencing hearing, describing “earth-shattering” in a victim impact statement. event”. He later shared the statement on Instagram.
He added that after being shot, he suffered “lung failure after lung failure” as well as “loss of career, loss of friendship and aimless travel across the country”. Fischer said he endured physical therapy and fell deeply in debt.
He then told Jackson, “I do forgive you. With this attack, you completely changed my life. I knew I couldn’t fully move forward from the night you shot me until I said those words to you. ”
He acknowledged Jackson’s decision not to harm the cubs, noting, “They were sent back and returned to their mother. If they died, I don’t think I could live with myself.”
At the hearing, Jackson pleaded no contest to attempted murder causing grievous bodily harm, leading prosecutors to drop other charges against him: conspiracy to rob, second-degree robbery, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and a felon with a concealed firearm vehicle, according to Rolling Stones.
An attorney for Jackson was not immediately available.
According to the Associated Press, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said that under the plea agreement, Jackson admitted causing grievous bodily harm and the previous strike.
“The plea agreement holds Mr. Jackson accountable for the callous act of violence and justice for our victims,” the district attorney’s office said, according to the Associated Press.
Authorities said they believe the suspects didn’t know Gaga was the owner and only wanted the dogs because they were a valuable breed under KTLA that could bring in thousands of dollars.
Want to keep up with the latest crime reports?sign uppeople’Free True Crime Newsletter For breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details on interesting unsolved cases.
In an interview with Gayle King last September cbs morningFischer said of his attackers, “I think they just saw a guy and three French bulldogs.”
He added, “One of the things I’ve noticed walking my dogs in Los Angeles is people outside the car saying, ‘How much are these dogs worth?’ Like, ‘How much are they? can i buy it ’ That part is always surprising — seeing dogs as a commodity.”
In April, Jackson was mistakenly released from jail in what the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said was “due to a clerical error.”
He was returned to detention in August.