Dog owner goes to trial for manslaughter
RUSSELLVILLE — The trial of a Red Bay woman who was charged with two counts of manslaughter after her dogs allegedly attacked and killed two people in April 2022 was scheduled to begin Tuesday. Opening statements for the trial of Brandy Lee Dowdy, 42, which has been continued 15 times since the indictments were issued in August 2022, were expected to begin Tuesday, Franklin County District Attorney Jeff Barksdale said.
Attorneys for Dowdy filed a motion on Thursday to have it continued again, but Circuit Court Judge Brian P. Hamilton denied the motion.
The trial could spill over to a second week given the number of witnesses Barksdale plans on calling to the stand. He said there are 25 witnesses scheduled to testify over at least three days before resting the prosecution’s case.
Some of the evidence expected to be presented to the jury includes testimony from people who were either attacked by the dogs prior to the maulings of Sheeks and Beard, according to court documents.
Dowdy was charged by a Franklin County grand jury with two counts of manslaughter and two violations of Emily’s Law, which imposes a felony charge against the owner of a dog or dogs which previously injured or killed a person.
The charges stem from the deaths of Michelle Ann Sheeks and Jacqueline Summer Beard. Sheeks, 44, died on July 12 in a Jackson, Mississippi, hospital after being attacked by a pack of dogs allegedly belonging to Dowdy on April 28, 2022.
Beard, 58, was allegedly mauled and killed by Dowdy’s dogs the next day. Beard, an employee with the Alabama Department of Public Health, came to Dowdy’s residence to investigate the dog attack from the day prior.
Beard was later located after someone called the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office to report a suspicious vehicle on Crumpton Road outside of Red Bay. Beard was found dead inside the vehicle.
When deputies arrived at Dowdy’s residence, they met with several residents of the area. They reported the dogs began to attack them. One person received minor injuries.
The dogs were later euthanized.
Dowdy was arrested on April 29, 2022, and charged with one count of manslaughter and one violation of Emily’s Law. She was charged with another count of manslaughter and a violation of Emily’s Law after Sheeks died in July 2022 from the injuries she sustained in the April 28, 2022, dog attack.
Dowdy pleaded not guilty and waived an arraignment hearing on Oct. 10, 2022, according to court records.
