At a Glance
- Case Type
- Civil Lawsuit Filed
- Parties
- Phillips, PR for Est. of Harold Phillips, et al. v. City of Detroit, et al.
- Jurisdiction
- Wayne County, Michigan
- Date
- 2024-01-29
- Status
- On Appeal
Harold Phillips, 35, died on Feb. 2, 2024, four days after three dogs attacked him on a Detroit street, according to the Washington Post [1]. The attack occurred on Jan. 29, 2024, as Phillips was heading home from a bus stop near the corner of Longacre Street and West Chicago Road when police say three dogs escaped from the Goodmans' yard through an unsecured front gate [2]. He had been returning home from a trip to the mall, where he had bought new clothes for an upcoming job interview [3]. During his four days of hospitalization, his right arm was amputated, he was placed on dialysis, and he underwent several blood transfusions [4].
Roy Eric Goodman and Trevina Quiche Goodman, of Detroit, were charged with one count of dangerous animal causing death in connection to Phillips' death [2]. Both pleaded no contest to possession of a dangerous animal causing death and were sentenced [5]. Roy Goodman was sentenced to 30 months to 15 years in prison, while Trevina Goodman was given three years of probation [2]. If Trevina Goodman violates her probation by maintaining or possessing an animal, she will serve 18 months to 15 years in prison [2]. The sentencing took place on Jan. 3, 2025, in Wayne County.
The attack also generated a civil case with broader institutional targets. In April 2024, the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against several parties, including the City of Detroit, Detroit Animal Care and Control, and Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control [4]. The 58-page lawsuit alleges that despite previous run-ins with the law and warnings about the Goodmans' dogs, Detroit Animal Care and Control did nothing to prevent the incident [6]. Shauntaye Phillips, Harold's widow, is suing the dogs' owners, Detroit Animal Care and Control, former Animal Control Director Mark Kumpf, interim Director Lori Sowle, two investigators, and Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control [7]. The family is represented by attorney Paul Huebner of Fieger Law.
According to the lawsuit, Detroit Animal Control had prior run-ins with these dogs, including an incident in which a child was bitten [4]. Animal control deemed one of the dogs to be dangerous, but the animal was not euthanized and was returned to Trevina Goodman [5]. The lawsuit contends the city's approach to animal control left a known risk unaddressed. It argues that attempts by the nonprofit and city to avoid euthanasia created a dangerous environment for Detroiters, calling the no-kill model "utterly ineffective, reckless, and deadly" [7].
The wrongful death lawsuit has since been working its way through the court system and is currently in the court of appeals as the city pushes for it to be dismissed [4]. The City of Detroit has requested that the wrongful death lawsuit be dismissed [4]. Phillips left behind a wife and six children [8]. The three dogs involved in the attack were euthanized following the incident [2].
References
[1] The Washington Post. (2024, February 03). Detroit man dies in dog mauling. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2024/02/03/detroit-man-dies-dog-mauling/89088dce-c2d7-11ee-a4c6-8f5c350e9316_story.html
[2] CBS Detroit. (2025, January 03). Detroit couple sentenced in fatal dog mauling that killed father of 6. https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/detroit-couple-sentenced-in-fatal-dog-mauling/
[3] FOX 2 Detroit. (2024, February 02). Detroit father mauled by dogs dies after 4 days on life support. https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/detroit-father-mauled-by-dogs-dies-after-4-days-on-life-support
[4] ClickOnDetroit / WDIV Local 4. (2025, June 25). How the Detroit family of a father killed in brutal dog attack is demanding accountability. https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/investigations/2025/06/25/family-of-father-killed-in-brutal-dog-attack-demands-accountability/
[5] The Detroit News. (2025, January 03). Detroit couple whose dogs killed father of 6 sentenced to prison, probation. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2025/01/03/detroit-couple-whose-dogs-killed-father-of-6-sentenced/77429730007/
[6] CBS Detroit. (2024, May 13). Lawsuit in deadly Detroit dog mauling targets owners, shelter and nonprofit, alleges systemic failures. https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/lawsuit-in-deadly-detroit-mauling-targets-owners-shelter-nonprofit-alleges-systemic-failures/
[7] Detroit Metro Times. (2024, May 08). Fatal dog-mauling lawsuit claims Detroit's no-kill model is dangerous. https://www.metrotimes.com/news/fatal-dog-mauling-leads-to-lawsuit-that-claims-detroits-no-kill-model-is-dangerous-36262836/
[8] KKTV / Associated Press. (2024, February 05). Father of 6 dies days after being mauled by three dogs, wife says. https://www.kktv.com/2024/02/05/father-of-6-dies-days-after-being-mauled-by-three-dogs-wife-says/