2 Held in Mauling Death Sue Corrections Dept.
The lawyers accused in the fatal dog mauling of Diane Whipple have sued the state Corrections Department for allegedly violating their civil rights when it revealed they had adopted one of their inmate clients.
Marjorie Knoller and Robert Noel, each being held on $1-million bail, filed the suit Wednesday in federal court. The couple allege that corrections officials violated their privacy in revealing that they had adopted Paul Schneider, an inmate at Pelican State Bay Prison.
The suit also claims they were wrongly accused of helping run a business that bred vicious dogs.
The dogs involved in the attack on Whipple were raised as part of a business Schneider and another inmate ran from prison.
Knoller and Noel face charges of involuntary manslaughter and keeping a vicious dog. Knoller also faces second-degree murder charges because she was present during the fatal attack.
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