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VIDEO: Hawthorne man whose dog was shot by police pleads not guilty to multiple felonies
An impromptu memorial at the site where a Hawthorne police officer shot and killed a Rottweiler. A subsequent online video has had millions of views and an intense reaction on social media.
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Rina Palta/KPCC
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A man whose Rottweiler dog was shot and killed by Hawthorne police pleaded not guilty Tuesday to multiple felony charges, including intimidating a witness, making criminal threats and dissuading a witness from prosecuting a crime. Leon Rosby, 52, also faces a misdemeanor charge for resisting arrest.
Rosby had been handcuffed after allegedly interfering with police as they were pursuing suspects on June 30, when Rosby's 3-year-old dog jumped out of his car window and moved toward police. The police shot the dog several times. Several videos were shot by bystanders and appeared on YouTube, with one receiving over 5 million views thus far.
"There was a second witness in a different location that taped a longer video of the incident and gave that to Hawthorne Police," Robison told KPCC's Bianca Ramirez. "They released that video a few days later. And when that video was released, he allegedly learned of who took that video, went to their home and allegedly threatened them."
Prosecutors set Rosby's bail at $310,000. If convicted, Rosby faces up to five years in state prison. Rosby is due back in court Sept. 10 for a preliminary hearing.
Warning: Video contains graphic images.
This second video was released by police shows more of what happened before the dog was shot. Police say it exonerates the officers involved.
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This story has been updated.
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