The State - News from Nov. 24, 1987

A San Jose man has been charged with second-degree murder in the fatal mauling of a 2-year-old boy by a pit bull terrier. Authorities believe it may be the first time in the country that a murder charge has been brought in such a case. The original charge against the dog owner was involuntary manslaughter. But Deputy Dist. Atty. Dale Sanderson said he upgraded the charge because evidence indicated that the dog owner, Michael Patrick Berry, knowingly endangered the life of James Soto, who was fatally attacked last June.