A Multnomah County judge signaled Tuesday that a ruling could come as soon as Wednesday in the bench trial of Koko Miller, the Portland woman charged after two of her dogs fatally mauled 6-year-old Loyalty Scott in December 2023. Miller faces four felony counts, including criminally negligent homicide, and family members have packed the courtroom as the case heads into its final stretch. The trial has included graphic testimony and home security video presented to the judge.
Prosecutors told the court Miller had been warned her dogs were "uneasy" around children and that Loyalty had previously seen them fight, while defense attorneys argued Miller tried to save the boy and called the death "a tragedy not a crime." The judge said he could decide the case as early as Wednesday, though the ruling might come later in the week, according to KATU.
Prosecutors Say The Attack Was Foreseeable
Prosecutor Chuck Mickley told the court that weeks before the fatal mauling, one of the dogs had bitten Miller and that family members had seen the dogs fight. He argued those earlier incidents were red flags that made the deadly attack preventable. The Oregonian reported the case is being decided by Circuit Judge Celia Howes in a bench trial and noted that Miller had previously been cited in a nuisance-dog case.
Defense Describes A Desperate Rescue
Defense attorney Ryan Corbridge countered that Miller did everything she could to stop the mauling, telling the court she "fought that dog for what felt like an eternity." He said Miller suffered wounds to her arms and hands as she tried to pry Loyalty free, then ran to retrieve a firearm in a final effort to stop the attack. Home security footage and neighbor testimony were presented in court, as reported by KPTV.
Medical Evidence Presented
Court testimony included graphic medical findings. The examiner described dozens of lacerations and fractures to the child’s face, along with a neck injury, and officials said the two dogs involved were euthanized after the December attack. Those details were outlined in coverage of the trial by People.
Legal Stakes
Miller is charged with criminally negligent homicide (see ORS 163.145), two counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment (ORS 163.205) and one count of maintaining a dangerous dog (ORS 609.098). Under Oregon law, a Class B felony carries a statutory maximum prison term set out in ORS 161.605, and ORS 609.990 explains that a fatal attack can elevate maintaining a dangerous dog to a felony.
What Comes Next
The judge’s anticipated ruling could resolve the charges this week. Court officials had scheduled the trial through next Wednesday, and the decision will determine whether the case moves to sentencing or takes a different path. Coverage will be updated when the court issues its ruling, and reporters are watching the docket closely for any new orders, as noted by KATU.
