She wasn't your typical star witness, but in a recent New York court case, Rosie -- a golden retriever -- has sparked a legal debate throughout the US.
The first judicially approved courtroom dog in the state, Rosie nuzzled and comforted a 15-year-old girl who was testifying that her father had raped and impregnated her.
Though the father in the case was convicted, it wasn't a happy ending for the defense who plan to appeal, arguing that the presence of a therapy dog may unfairly sway jurors with its "cuteness and natural empathy" into believing the witness is telling the truth.
Prosecutor, Ellen O’Neill-Stephens, admits that while “sometimes the dog means the difference between a conviction and an acquittal,” dogs are vital to easing the trauma thereby enabling a child to take the stand.
For 11-year-old Rosie, it was just another day on the job. The courtroom something of a career change, she spent years working with emotionally troubled children.
It must have been amazing to watch her at work.
“When they start talking about difficult things,” said Dr. Crenshaw, the psychologist who has worked with all three of Rosie’s witnesses and many other troubled children, “Rosie picks up on that and goes over and nudges them. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
Do dogs have a rightful place in our courtrooms, or do they have the potential to pervert the course of justice?
Image Credit: discovery.com
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