Marjorie Knoller Faces Third Parole Hearing in 2001 SF Dog Attack

Marjorie Knoller, the woman convicted of second-degree murder in San Francisco’s most notorious dog attack case, faces her third parole hearing this week, 25 years after two massive Presa Canario dogs killed her neighbor in a Pacific Heights apartment hallway.

The January 26, 2001 attack that killed 33-year-old lacrosse coach Diane Whipple became known as the “Dog Mauling Trial of the Century,” captivating the Bay Area and exposing a bizarre web of prison gangs, illegal dog breeding, and legal negligence that prosecutors argued amounted to murder.

Knoller, now 69, and her late husband Robert Noel were returning to their sixth-floor apartment at 2398 Pacific Avenue with their 140-pound dog Bane when the animal broke free and attacked Whipple outside her apartment door. A second dog, Hera, joined the assault. Whipple suffered more than 70 bite wounds and died at San Francisco General Hospital.

The case exposed how the couple had acquired the dogs from Pelican Bay State Prison inmates who were breeding the massive canines as part of an illegal operation. Court records showed Knoller and Noel knew the dogs were dangerous—Bane had previously attacked other residents and shown aggressive behavior that neighbors had repeatedly complained about.

“The evidence clearly showed these defendants knew their dogs posed a deadly threat to their neighbors,” former San Francisco District Attorney Terence Hallinan said during the original trial. “They chose to ignore that threat, and Diane Whipple paid with her life.”

Knoller was initially convicted of involuntary manslaughter and keeping a mischievous dog that killed someone. But in a rare legal move, Superior Court Judge James Warren upgraded her conviction to second-degree murder in 2002, ruling that she acted with “implied malice” by ignoring the obvious dangers her dogs posed to others.

The California Court of Appeal later overturned the murder conviction, sending Knoller to prison for four years on the manslaughter charge. However, the California Supreme Court reinstated the murder conviction in 2007, and Knoller was sentenced to 15 years to life.

Noel, who was not present during the actual attack, served four years for involuntary manslaughter and died in 2018.

Knoller first became eligible for parole in 2019 but was denied. The parole board rejected her second application in 2022, citing her continued failure to accept full responsibility for Whipple’s death and the danger her actions posed to the community.

“She continues to blame the victim and minimize her own role in this preventable tragedy,” said a spokesperson for the parole board after the 2022 hearing. “Her lack of insight into the severity of her actions remains concerning.”

The case transformed how California handles dangerous dog laws and influenced news coverage of animal attacks statewide. The attack occurred in the same Pacific Heights neighborhood where tech executives and venture capitalists now pay millions for luxury condos, highlighting how the city’s elite enclaves have long struggled with questions of personal responsibility and public safety.

Whipple’s partner, Sharon Smith, has opposed Knoller’s previous parole attempts and is expected to address the board again this week. Smith successfully sued Knoller and Noel in civil court, winning a $1.5 million judgment.

The legal saga also exposed the bizarre relationship between Knoller, Noel, and the Pelican Bay inmates who bred the dogs. The couple had adopted one of the inmates, Paul “Cornfed” Schneider, as their son despite his life sentence for armed robbery and involvement in methamphetamine trafficking.

During the trial, prosecutors revealed that Knoller and Noel were breeding and selling the massive dogs for the inmates, who planned to use them for fighting and protection of illegal drug operations. The couple claimed they were unaware of the dogs’ true purpose, but evidence showed they knew about the animals’ aggressive training and breeding for combat.

Bane, the primary attacker, weighed more than most adult humans and had been trained using methods that encouraged aggression. Witnesses testified that the dog had previously lunged at children, charged other residents, and showed clear signs of dangerous behavior that Knoller and Noel ignored.

The attack fundamentally changed San Francisco’s approach to dangerous dog regulations. The city strengthened its vicious dog ordinances and increased penalties for owners whose animals attack people. Similar laws spread across California and other states.

For Pacific Heights residents, the case remains a cautionary tale about how personal negligence can turn deadly in the city’s dense apartment buildings and narrow hallways. The building where the attack occurred still stands, though it has changed ownership multiple times since 2001.

Knoller’s parole hearing comes at a time when San Francisco faces ongoing debates about public safety, personal responsibility, and criminal justice reform. Her case predates many current discussions about restorative justice and rehabilitation, representing an earlier era when the city took a harder line on violent crimes.

If granted parole, Knoller would be released under supervision with conditions likely including prohibitions on owning dogs or other animals. However, her previous denials suggest the parole board remains skeptical of her rehabilitation and acceptance of responsibility.

The hearing is scheduled for later this week at the California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, where Knoller has been incarcerated since her murder conviction was reinstated. A decision is expected within 30 days.