On October 26, 2023, defendant Monique Cook appeared via Zoom from Wayne Brown Correctional Facility to answer questions in court surrounding her failure to make restitution payments over the 2021 grizzly attack of her two dogs on livestock owned by the Sierra County Future Farmers of America (FFA) students at Loyalton High School; an attack so violent it will no doubt never leave the memory of any student or staff who bore witness to the incident or who was left to attend to the injured and deceased animals. Courts found on or about March 20, 2021, Cook willfully and unlawfully allowed her two dogs to attack, injure, and kill livestock, including two ewes, a ram, and one lamb. Court documents denote this was not the first time the defendant had allowed her dogs to run in town loose, “unleashed and without collars.” On April 6, 2021, Sheriff Fisher (Chief Animal Control Officer) presented the case to the Board of Supervisors. Despite an assessment in which Fisher deemed the dogs “vicious and dangerous,” the Board of Supervisors agreed to allow the defendant to pick up the dogs when she “moved from the County” later in the month instead of putting them down. Over the last two years, the five original counts of misdemeanor charges grew into seven as Cook struggled to make court appearances and make payments on the required restitution. While her Public Defender highlighted that Cook had paid over half of the required $2400 restitution, this did not suffice for Judge Jane York Punneo, who commented Cook’s lapse in making payments was “very irresponsible…and [the def] caused this harm to a whole bunch of children.” It is a shame this case has dragged on for so long over failed restitution payments and at least one missed court appearance, resulting in a couple of bench warrants from violating probation — a complete waste of the People’s time and resources. Excuses for violating the terms of probation were offered, as they often are. At the time of the October 26, 2023 arraignment, the remaining balance of the restitution was $1,100.32. Cook was able to make a payment of $550.00, which left a balance of $550.32. She must pay the remaining restitution, after which her probation will be “unsuccessfully terminated.” According to District Attorney Sandra Groven, “That is a designation that will follow her for any further cases she may have and may impact a court’s decision to grant her probation in the future.” The matter is set for a Review Hearing on 11/7/23 at 9:00 AM. Court Beat is a column that highlights interesting, in the author’s estimation, court cases in Sierra County. Commentary is the author’s opinion.