Merced County Jail staff to look into eye health of suspect in dog attack

A Merced County Superior Court judge asked jail medical staff on Friday to look further into the medical needs of a man in custody, who is accused of hacking a dog with a machete, to determine the urgency of the man’s condition.

The arraignment of Myron L. Pattillo, 46, was rescheduled again – to 8:30 a.m. Monday in Merced County Superior Court – because his attorney, Tom Pfeiff, was not available. His co-defendant, Aaron W. Carney, 29, is set to appear in court at the same time.

Both men are expected to be arraigned on charges of robbery and animal cruelty. Police said Pattillo and his co-defendant, on May 1, tied a one-year-old Siberian husky to a fire hydrant at Austin Avenue and Conestoga Drive in Merced and hacked the animal with machetes, which forced authorities to euthanize the severely injured dog, named Lucious.

Members of Pattillo’s family were in the courtroom and provided documentation of an appointment for eye surgery out of town on Monday afternoon. He has said he has diabetic retinopathy, which refers to eye problems that people with diabetes may face.

During the hearing, medical staff from the Merced County Jail said Pattillo is being treated with insulin that’s equivalent to but different from the kind he normally takes.

While wearing a court-issued hearing device, Pattillo told the judge that his blood-sugar levels have been unstable. He said that could damage his eyes. “I don’t want to become a liability to you guys or my family,” he said during the hearing.

Judge David Moranda asked the jail’s medical staff to speak with Pattillo’s doctor to determine how urgently he would need surgery and how much recovery time he would need after the procedure.

“I wanted to make sure it’s being dealt with,” Moranda said at the hearing.

Pattillo and Carney were arrested several hours after the incident on suspicion of animal cruelty and robbery, the Merced Police Department said.

News of the attack on the dog led to an outcry from the community. More than 50 people gathered while holding signs last Saturday at G Street and Olive Avenue to speak out against animal cruelty in general and the brutality of the attack on the dog.

A makeshift memorial of flowers, a photo of the dog, a heart-shaped balloon and other symbols have since been placed on the hydrant where the animal was attacked.

Each man is being held in lieu of $170,000 bail.

This story was originally published May 8, 2015 at 10:41 AM with the headline "Merced County Jail staff to look into eye health of suspect in dog attack."