Trial opens in deadly dog bite case

Seven-year-old Zachary King Jr. wanted to play with the family pit bull, Face, tethered to a pole in the basement. He paid with his life when the dog's jaws clamped down on his neck last August.

"Little Zack," as his family called him, died of asphyxiation, and his father, Zachary King Sr., went on trial Monday for second-degree manslaughter.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman is making an uncommon trial appearance to help Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Amy Sweasy on the case.

Freeman, the elected head of the county attorney's office, said he's personally trying the case because "the death of this young man was totally avoidable. The father has shown no contrition and no acknowledgement of wrongdoing."

In opening statements, Sweasy said the dog had bitten people, including Zack Jr., seven times in the years leading up to his death.

"Zack Jr.'s death was totally, completely avoidable and preventable," Sweasy said. Face was not a "docile" family pet and there was "no set of circumstances under which a child should have had access to the pet."

Zachary King Sr., who was upstairs asleep at the time of the attack, waived his right to a jury trial so the outcome will be decided by Hennepin County District Court Judge Kevin Burke.

He called the county's decision to prosecute King "wrong," likening it to prosecuting someone for tearing the tags off a new mattress. "This is a family that did everything they could to take care of their children."

But something went horribly wrong at the family's north Minneapolis home, as evidenced by numerous photos and a video. With homicide Sgt. Nancy Dunlap on the stand, Freeman showed photos of the home as she described blood in the kitchen, the stairwell and the basement.

After Face killed the boy, King shot the dog. Freeman showed photos of the dog lying dead in a pool of blood, filth and feces, still tethered to a pole. He asked Dunlap whether she saw any food or water for the dog. She said she did not.

Sweasy said Face was chained in the basement for 17 hours without food, water, exercise or an opportunity to relieve himself. Meanwhile, the female pit bull, Ginger, and her puppies roamed the home.

Dunlap testified that a muzzle for the dog was found under a compressor in the basement. Both the muzzle and the leash were introduced as exhibits.

Animal Control officer Tom Doty, who also was at the scene, described blood on the ceiling. Freeman asked him about the impact of keeping the dog on a short leash for so long.

"A dog has one of two things it can do when it perceives a threat: fight or flee," Doty said. "When I saw the dog tied so close to the wall, the first thing I thought was -- aggression."

Cascarano asked Doty whether he had looked through the basement for remnants of food for the dog. Doty said if there was food, it could have been under the blood.

He noted that King didn't train the dog or exercise him.

If King is convicted, sentencing guidelines call for him to be put on probation. He could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, although that is highly unlikely.