Man begins jail term in 2007 dog-attack case

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Jammie Traylor

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

YOUNGSTOWN — Jammie Traylor was convicted of violating a city ordinance against having vicious dogs at large more than two years ago, but he began serving the 84-day remainder of his 90-day jail sentence Wednesday.

Traylor, 21, of Youngstown, appeared before Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly of Youngstown Municipal Court a second time to be sentenced on charges related to an attack by two dogs in his care in April 2007. He had been convicted of harboring a vicious dog and having a dog at large, both misdemeanors, in 2007.

Judge Kobly reimposed the same sentence given to Traylor in 2007 — a fine of $750, 90 days in jail and two years’ probation during which Traylor cannot own any dog larger than a small Chihuahua. Traylor served six days in jail in 2007 before appealing his conviction and will be given credit for those six days.

The case arose from an April 18, 2007, incident, in which David Roch of Youngstown and his 16-pound wire fox terrier were attacked while walking in Mill Creek Park by two unleashed and unaccompanied Italian mastiff/Cane Corso dogs, a male weighing 170-180 pounds and a slightly smaller female.

Roch, a retired city firefighter, was bitten on his hand and wrist, and his dog suffered several bites before Roch retreated to a nearby garage, and his dog fled.

Police arriving at the scene shot and killed both of the attacking dogs after officers said the dogs fast-approached them.

Traylor owned the attacking female dog and had the attacking male dog at his residence for breeding purposes.

Traylor appealed his conviction, and the 7th District Court of Appeals determined that the city’s vicious- dog ordinance did not define Cane Corso as “vicious” and reversed Traylor’s convictions for owning or harboring two vicious dogs.

The Ohio Supreme Court, in a decision written by Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton and released in August, reversed a unanimous decision by the three-judge panel of the Youngstown-based 7th District Court of Appeals. That decision by the high court means that Traylor will now have to serve his original sentence.

Atty. James Lanzo, representing Traylor, said his client had fought the charges vigorously but is now ready to begin serving his time in the county jail.

“This has been a long, hard-fought battle that took us to Columbus and back here,” he told the court. “My client is ready to accept the decisions of the various courts that have had this case and begin serving his sentence.”

Lanzo said Traylor is exploring the possibility of appealing his conviction to the United States Supreme Court. He has about 60 days to make that appeal. Lanzo said Traylor would request another stay of his sentence if an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is made.

jgoodwin@vindy.com