PEABODY — Salem lawyer Jeremy Cohen is resolving to save Bronson the pit bull.
Cohen has been hired to represent Brian Stevens, owner of the dog that last Thursday savagely attacked three women and a police officer, inflicting more than 50 wounds on Cassandra Osgood of Danvers.
"I know why the dog snapped," Cohen said. He declined to share any specifics. "It was because he was being a dog and not a killer." The lawyer hinted that a brief episode of playful wrestling between two of the women may have contributed to the attack.
"This is an aggressive breed of dog," said Kevin Barry, another Salem lawyer representing Osgood. "In my opinion, they are used by those who own them as weapons." He faults Stevens for taking no precautions against such a rampage.
"No actions my client or anyone else could have taken would have mitigated this attack," Barry said.
The dog sprung at a time when Stevens was not at his Peabody mobile home but four women were. It mauled Osgood especially and stalked her from room to room, at one point biting her arm to the bone and tearing away the flesh.
Meanwhile, according to Cohen, Peabody Animal Control Officer Lilian Pinto has declared Bronson "dangerous." He added, "The chief of police (Robert Champagne) will now have a hearing, and he'll order Bronson to be euthanized."
Neither Pinto nor Champagne could be reached last night.
Cohen praised the Peabody police for their sensitivity on this issue. But he worries so far they do not have the facts. "(Champagne) does not have all the information he needs to make the right decision. ... There are definitely facts that when brought to light will show that Bronson is not a killer."
His aim, said Cohen, is to "show that Bronson is the loving pet that Brian believes him to be" and to get the "dangerous" tag taken off the animal so that he is not "murdered."
Once the dog is ordered to be put down, Cohen said, his client will have 30 days to appeal.
At the same time, Cohen repeatedly stressed Stevens' concern for Osgood and the others hurt in the attack. "Brian was born eating apple pie. He's broken up by this 24 hours a day — if he sleeps at all."
While Osgood has accepted an apology from Stevens, she told the News she was asked to sign a document declaring that the dog was never aggressive before. "Are you kidding me?" she said. "I feel bad for the dog, but I just got out of the hospital."
Cohen acknowledged that Osgood's boyfriend Kurt Mason has signed a document saying roughly the same thing and declaring, "My girlfriend does not wish any harm to Bronson."
Acknowledging the possibility of a civil suit, Cohen explained simply, "The reason I was hired was to defend Bronson."
Litigation is a possibility, Barry said. "And the dog owner is one of the people we would be looking at for compensation."
"Our focus is on the victims," Cohen said. "And one of them is Bronson."
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