Man Convicted of Threatening Family, Stabbing Redondo Beach Police Dog

Man Convicted of Threatening Family,
Stabbing Redondo Beach Police Dog

March 18, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
(213) 974-3525

TORRANCE – A Superior Court jury in Torrance today convicted a man of making criminal threats to family members last year, then stabbing a police dog after trying to break into his estranged wife’s home in Redondo Beach.

Deputy District Attorney Christine Von Helmolt said the jury deliberated about five hours before convicting 40-year-old Jimmie Divo Lunceford of three counts of making criminal threats, one count of assaulting a police animal and one count of attempted burglary. The jury deadlocked on a fourth criminal threat count.

Lunceford, of Lawndale, faces a possible maximum prison sentence of five years and eight months, Van Helmolt said. She said Superior Court Judge Sandra Thompson, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for May 2.

Von Helmolt said Lunceford tried to break into his estranged wife’s North Redondo Beach home on July 30, 2007. He stabbed the dog, “Valor,” in the neck with a knife when police arrived. The animal, assigned to the Redondo Beach Police Department’s K-9 unit, survived.

Authorities said that over a three-day period prior to the attempted break-in, Lunceford called a stepdaughter and made criminal threats against her and a younger sister.

The defendant, charged on Aug. 1, 2007, has remained in custody on $1 million bail.

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