NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Two men accused of killing a Yorkshire terrier two years ago when one of them held the dog and the other kicked it have settled a civil lawsuit with the dog's owners.
Chad Crawford, 26, and Michael Davis, 23, settled the suit Tuesday for an undisclosed amount, said Todd Faulkner, the attorney for owners Jelani and Jessica Lewis, who have since changed their last name to King and moved to Detroit.
The owners sued Crawford, Davis, Nashboro Village Apartments and another man for $200,000 in damages, Faulkner said.
Nashboro Village was dismissed from the lawsuit and the third man named in the suit could not be found.
The incident made international headlines when police said Davis held the dog, named Gizmo, in place while Crawford took a running start and kicked the dog like a football.
One of the dog's owners, Jelani Lewis, said he watched in horror as Gizmo hit the pavement and rolled under a parked car.
Crawford and Davis also face animal cruelty charges and are scheduled to be tried in February. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Meanwhile, Faulkner said the owners are pleased with the outcome of the civil suit.
"They are extremely happy," he said. "Now once the criminal case is resolved, that will sort of put the exclamation point on the end of the sentence."
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