The man who shot and wounded Lady Gaga’s dog walker and stole her French bulldogs has taken a plea deal, with the judge sentencing him to 21 years in prison on Monday, Dec. 5.
James Howard Jackson was one of three men and two accomplices who participated in the violent robbery and its aftermath. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, Jackson pleaded no contest to one count of attempted murder.
The incident
On February 24, 2021, Jackson and others drove around Hollywood, the city of West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley “looking for French bulldogs,” prosecutors said previously. They then came across Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, walking near Sunset Boulevard with Gaga’s three pets.
During the robbery, Jackson shot Fischer and took two of the dogs. A nearby doorbell camera recorded Fischer screaming, “Oh, my God! I’ve been shot!” and “Help Me!” and “I’m bleeding out from my chest!”
The aftermath of the shooting and robbery
After the incident, Fischer called the violent act a “very close call with death” in social media posts.
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The dogs, named Koji and Gustav, were returned to Lady Gaga several days later by Jennifer McBride, who was also charged in the crime as an accomplice.
At the time, Gaga had offered a $500,000 reward to be reunited with the dogs with “no questions asked.”
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The trial and sentencing
During the trial, Jackson admitted to the allegation of inflicting great bodily injury and to a prior strike, according to the DA’s office.
The DA’s office added that the “plea agreement holds Mr. Jackson accountable for perpetrating a coldhearted violent act and provides justice for our victim.” He had been charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit a robbery and assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
Harold White, another accomplice, pleaded no contest Monday to a count of ex-convict in possession of a gun. White will be sentenced next year.
White and McBride, who were a couple at the time, allegedly attempted to help his son, Jaylin White, avoid arrest in the aftermath. However, Jaylin White pleaded no contest to second-degree robbery earlier this year and was sentenced to four years in state prison.
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