The man who last year stole Lady Gaga’s French bulldogs while shooting and injuring her dog walker, accepted a plea agreement and was given a 21-year prison sentence on Monday.
According to investigators, the Lady Gaga connection was a coincidence. Detectives don’t think the burglars were aware the dogs belonged to the musician; instead, they suspect they were motivated by the French bulldogs’ high value as a breed, which can fetch thousands of dollars.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, James Howard Jackson, one of three individuals and two accomplices who took part in the violent heist and its aftermath, entered a no-contest plea to one count of attempted murder. Which lawyer on Monday represented Howard was not immediately known.
Prosecutors earlier said that on February 24, 2021, Jackson and two other individuals were “searching for French bulldogs” while they drove across Hollywood, West Hollywood, and the San Fernando Valley. Fischer was discovered with the pop star’s three animals.
Fischer got shot during the Sunset Boulevard robbery
Jackson shot Fischer during the famous Sunset Boulevard robbery, which also included the theft of two dogs. The dog walker was heard yelling, “Oh, my God!” on a neighboring doorbell camera. “Help me!” and “I’ve been shot!” additionally saying, “I’m bleeding out from my chest!”
Ryan Fischer, the pop star’s dog walker, was critically hurt in the incident and appeared in court on Monday to give an impact statement. He later posted the message to Instagram.
In later social media posts, Fischer described the violence as a “very close call with death.” He stated he is still recovering physically and mentally after the shooting in his statement on Monday. He still has to go through physical rehabilitation, and a portion of his lung has to be removed.
Jackson and the other attackers were specifically mentioned by name by Fischer in the message, and he expressed his forgiveness to both of them. “You completely altered my life, and I know I can’t fully move forward from the night you shot me until I said those words to you.”
A few days later, Jennifer McBride, who was also charged with the crime, gave the stolen dogs back. When the dogs went missing, the pop artist offered a $500,000 prize — “no questions asked” — to be reunited with them.
According to the DA’s office, Jackson also acknowledged a prior strike and the charge of causing severe bodily harm. What the preceding strike was was not immediately disclosed by the prosecutor’s office.
“The plea agreement holds Mr. Jackson accountable for perpetrating a coldhearted violent act and provides justice for our victim,” the office said in a statement. Howard had been charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit a robbery, and assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
Typing error resulted in Jackson’s inadvertent release from custody earlier this year.
Jackson was unintentionally released from jail earlier this year as a result of a typing mistake. He was approx. five months later found.
Harold White, a second conspirator, entered a not-guilty plea on Monday to the charge of having a pistol as an ex-offender. White, who at the time was dating McBride, will be jailed the following year. The McBride case is still pending. After the incident, the couple allegedly made an effort to prevent White’s son Jaylin White from being arrested.
Last year, when Jackson and the younger White were looking for the expensive dogs, Whaley drove them around. Prosecutors had earlier claimed that Jackson and White had jumped out and attacked Fischer. They hit and choked the dog walker, and Jackson pulled out a semiautomatic gun and fired, striking Fischer once before the trio fled. Jaylin White and Lafayette Whaley entered a no-contest plea to robbery.