Trial over cat and dog fight starts today
By: TERI FIGUEROA - Staff Writer
Call it the case of the clawing cat.
Jury selection is slated to begin today in a $1.5 million lawsuit a man with disabilities filed against the city of Escondido after a cat living in a city library attacked his assistance dog in 2000.
Richard Ramon "Rik" Espinosa, acting as his own attorney, is suing the city for damages over the Nov. 16, 2000, incident. Espinosa alleges in the lawsuit that he has several disabilities, including major depressive and panic disorders.
The issue to go before the jury is whether Espinosa had the same right to enter and use the library as anyone else, whether the city denied his right to have his assistance dog with him, and whether the city interfered with his admittance to and enjoyment of the library.
Espinosa is a former North County Times staff writer who had gone to the library on assignment the day the cat, named "L.C." for "Library Cat," is said to have attacked his dog Kimba.
The city does not dispute that Espinosa has disabilities, that his dog helps him with his disabilities or that the cat scratched the dog, Escondido City Attorney Steven Nelson said Monday.
"The key issue for us is we don't think that the cat scratching the dog is disability discrimination," Nelson said Monday. "The cat didn't prevent his access, it delayed his access."
Story from the NC Times
By: TERI FIGUEROA - Staff Writer
Call it the case of the clawing cat.
Jury selection is slated to begin today in a $1.5 million lawsuit a man with disabilities filed against the city of Escondido after a cat living in a city library attacked his assistance dog in 2000.
Richard Ramon "Rik" Espinosa, acting as his own attorney, is suing the city for damages over the Nov. 16, 2000, incident. Espinosa alleges in the lawsuit that he has several disabilities, including major depressive and panic disorders.
The issue to go before the jury is whether Espinosa had the same right to enter and use the library as anyone else, whether the city denied his right to have his assistance dog with him, and whether the city interfered with his admittance to and enjoyment of the library.
Espinosa is a former North County Times staff writer who had gone to the library on assignment the day the cat, named "L.C." for "Library Cat," is said to have attacked his dog Kimba.
The city does not dispute that Espinosa has disabilities, that his dog helps him with his disabilities or that the cat scratched the dog, Escondido City Attorney Steven Nelson said Monday.
"The key issue for us is we don't think that the cat scratching the dog is disability discrimination," Nelson said Monday. "The cat didn't prevent his access, it delayed his access."
Story from the NC Times
