We don't have First and Second Degree Murder in England. I suspect that here this would have been dealt with as manslaughter, unless there'd been evidence that the owner had set the dog on the poor woman.

But I imagine that's to do with different definitions, so that our definition of murder is more equivalent to the American First Degree Murder, and our manslaughter would overlap with your Second Degree Murder.

There is a certain mentality that likes having lethal dogs around, seeing them as weapons. Sometimes it's frightened people, sometimes it's bullies. A bit like guns I suppose - and that's not intended to stir up arguments about that issue, what I mean is that different attitudes can lies behind the same action.

Reading spaw's story my feeling was it's a shame that two animals had to die unpleasant deaths because of people like that neighbour.

I'm with katlaughing on the idea that you have to be willing to bend principles sometimes. I think the "dignity of risk" idea has to have real limitations sometimes.