Fall River man sentenced to time served for stabbing pit bull

FALL RIVER, Mass. — A Massachusetts man who nearly killed a dog by stabbing it five times will be released from jail after being sentenced to time served.

The Herald News reports that William Whitson, of Fall River, has been in custody since September 2015, when he stabbed a pit bull outside his city barbershop.

Smokey the pit bull had been on a walk with his owner of South Main Street when he was stabbed five times. Whitson's brother said that Smokey had bitten him. 

A prosecutor said the sentence was too lenient and had pushed for four to seven years behind bars. Whitson was also ordered to pay $3,000 to a shelter that paid for the dog's treatment.

Whitson said he stabbed the pit bull in self-defense because it bit him and wouldn't let go as he tried to stop it from attacking a smaller dog.

The prosecutor says the dog never bit Whitson or attacked the other dog.

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Associated Press