Frederick County, Maryland - Couple Awarded $620,000 in Shooting of Dog By Police

A jury has given a huge award to a Frederick County, Maryland couple whose dog was shot by a sheriff's deputy, and the incident was caught on camera. The jury has awarded $620,000 to Roger and Sandra Jenkins. Deputies came to their door in January 2010 looking for their son. They had a civil warrant, which means they couldn't go into the house without the couple’s permission.

The Jenkins allowed one deputy inside the home. They were trying to put their dogs in a kennel when a second deputy walked around the outside of the house. Their chocolate Labrador retriever, Brandi, trotted toward the deputy with her tail wagging and that is when the deputy shot it.

When the couple left to rush the dog to the veterinarian, officers went into the house without permission and arrested their son. “They have four dogs. Dogs are part of their family. They live in the house with them, they spend all their time with them, they have even a graveyard out back for when the dogs die. I mean they are their family. They are incredibly important to them,” said Rebakah Lusk, the Jenkins’ attorney.

Brandi did survive, but has a badly damaged leg that may eventually be amputated.
The jury ruled the couple's rights were violated when the deputies entered without permission.

The sheriff says the deputies may appeal the ruling. The couple's son was wanted for a drug possession charge. Those charges were later thrown out of court.