The well-publicized dog mauling trial of Marjorie Knoller and Robert Noel, two San Francisco attorneys charged in the death of Diane Whipple, ended yesterday afternoon when the jury convicted the couple on all five charges filed against them. The case began on January 26, 2001 when Bane, the couple's Presa Canarios, savagely attacked and killed Whipple as she returned to her apartment complex.

Over thirty witnesses for the prosecution testified that the dog was extremely vicious and that the couple had been warned on numerous occasions to control the animal. Knoller, who was with Bane at the time of the attack, was convicted of second-degree murder while Noel was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. It was the first murder conviction of its kind in the State of California.

According to jurors, the prosecution successfully proved Knoller was guilty of implied malice, meaning the act showed a conscious disregard for human life. Sentencing is scheduled for May 10. Knoller faces fifteen years to life in prison while Noel could be sentenced to four years.