Suspects plead not guilty in kidnapping of Lady Gaga's dogs
What's the story
On February 24, Lady Gaga's assistant Ryan Fischer was shot by unknown assailants in an incident of robbery. They reportedly stole her two French bulldogs. In the latest development, the group of five robbers, who were arrested recently for kidnapping the dogs and shooting Fischer, pleaded not guilty. They are now being held on $1 million bail each and the case is still ongoing.
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'A brazen street crime that left a man seriously wounded'
LA District Attorney George Gascón issued a statement and said, "This was a brazen street crime that left a man seriously wounded." "We have alleged very serious charges," he added. Authorities believe that the group targeted the French bulldogs not because they belonged to a celebrity, but due to the monetary value attached to them. Lady Gaga is yet to issue any official statement.
Information
Several charges were levied against three of the suspects
The suspects James Jackson, 18; Jaylin White, 19; Lafayette Whaley, 27; Harold White, 40; and Jennifer McBride, 50, have been taken into custody. While James, Jaylin, and Lafayette were charged with one count each of attempted murder and robbery, Harold and Jennifer were charged with accessory to attempted murder. Harold and Jennifer only acted as accessories after the crime took place, said police.
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A rundown: Here's what happened that day
The case of the kidnapping of Lady Gaga's dogs dates back to February when Fischer was walking her three dogs—Koji, Gustav, and Miss Asia—and was shot. Thankfully, he survived but couldn't save two dogs from being stolen. Miss Asia managed to escape and was recovered safely by cops. A dejected 911 crooner had even announced a $5,00,000 reward for anyone who could bring back her dogs.
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Woman who returned the dogs turns out to be accomplice!
A couple of days later, a woman safely handed over the two dogs to the LAPD's Olympic Community Police Station. Turns out, the woman was Jennifer, one of the accomplices in the robbery. She told LAPD that she randomly came across the dogs tied up and abandoned in an alley. The detectives later confirmed that she was in a relationship with Harold.
Appreciation
'You're forever a hero,' Lady Gaga had praised her assistant
Back when the incident happened, Gaga praised Fischer for risking his life to save her dogs. "I continue to love you Ryan Fischer, you risked your life to fight for our family. You're forever a hero," she tweeted. Fischer was recovering, as per his last update in March. "A lot of healing still needs to happen, but I look forward to the future," he said.