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Dog Owners Charged In Death Of Jogger Waive Arraignment

LAPEER (WWJ/AP) -- A Lapeer County couple charged with second-degree murder after their dogs mauled a jogger to death in July waived their scheduled arraignment on Monday in Circuit Court.

Defense attorney Ryan Streefkirk said that the defense is planning an appeal on the murder charge.

"This whole case is a unique case -- it's the first time anybody has been bound over on a second-degree murder charge related to the owning of dangerous dogs," Streefkirk said. "Personally, the case being a first impression, and also with my client being out of the state, double surprised."

Streefkirk who represents 44-year-old Valbona Lucaj -- who along with her husband, 45-year-old Sebastiano Quagliata -- remain jailed on $500,000 bond pending their next court appearance on October 6.

Thier dogs -- a pair of 100 pound Cane Corsos -- attacked and killed 46-year-old Craig Sytsma of Livonia as he jogged in rural Metamora Township.

"We're going to order the transcripts from the preliminary examination from the three days of testimony," "The next step would be to prepare what's called a 'motion to quash' that will be filed and argued at a hearing before the Circuit Court. I imagine these are going to be expedited, we're hoping to get those transcripts within several weeks."

Authorities said it was the third attack by Quagliata and Lucaj's dogs in the past two years. The couple was apparently breeding dogs at their property, officials said.

Federal authorities say Quagliata and Lucaj are living in the U.S. illegally and were facing imminent deportation at the time of the attack, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press. Lucaj is a native of Albania and Quagliata is from Italy. Both have been in the U.S. since the late 1990s.

 

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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