A suspect in the violent theft of Lady Gaga’s dogs was freed from prison in Los Angeles after appearing in court Wednesday, according to NBC Los Angeles (NBCLA).
James Howard Jackson, 18, is one of three men accused of plotting to steal Lady Gaga’s dogs in February 2021, reported NBCLA. Jackson, Jaylin Keyshawn White, 19, and Lafayette Shon Whaley, 27, were charged with attempted murder, second-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery after dog walker Ryan Fischer, 39, was shot as he walked the pop superstar’s two French bulldogs, the outlet continued.
Jackson, who allegedly acted as the gunman in the case, was charged with an additional count of assault with a semiautomatic weapon and carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, the report continued. Booking records showed that Jackson was released after the charges against him were dismissed in an alleged administrative mistake, law enforcement sources told NBCLA.
The LA County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday that the dismissed charges should have been replaced by a superseding grand jury indictment, NBCLA reported. It appears that the superseding case was not entered against Jackson, the NY Post noted.
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Fischer was shot in the chest and was hospitalized for almost a month after the robbery, the NY Post reported. (RELATED: Lady Gaga’s Dog Walker Speaks Out After Shooting Which Left Him Hospitalized)
After Lady Gaga offered a $500,000 reward for her Frenchie’s’ safe return, a woman walked into a Los Angeles Police Department station with the dogs and attempted to claim the reward, NBCLA noted. The dogs were returned to the singer, and five people were initially arrested in connection with the shooting and theft.