Suspect Accused Of Shooting Lady Gaga's Dog Walker Mistakenly Released From Jail

One of the suspects charged with shooting Lady Gaga’s dog walker was unintentionally released from county jail this week, records show.

James Howard Jackson, 19, was charged in connection with the 2021 shooting of Ryan Fischer, the man tasked with walking Lady Gaga’s expensive French bulldogs, as previously reported. Jackson was mistakenly freed from jail on Wednesday over what the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department called a clerical error, according to NBC Los Angeles.

“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) is investigating the inadvertent release from custody of defendant James Howard Jackson,” they told the outlet. “Mr. Jackson was in custody for attempted murder in connection with the shooting of Lady Gaga’s dog walker and the theft of two of the singer’s French bulldogs, which occurred on Feb. 25, 2021.”

Jail records show that charges against Jackson were dismissed on Tuesday, which is listed as the reason for his release one day later.

On Thursday, however, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said the dismissed charges had been replaced by new charges following a grand jury’s indictment on Tuesday, which was unsealed on Wednesday, according to NBC Los Angeles.

That indictment was not properly entered on Tuesday, sources said.

“Defendant Jackson attended court proceedings at the Clara Shortridge Criminal Justice Center on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, and was released from custody on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, due to a clerical error,” the LASD continued. “The investigation is continuing, and the LASD Major Crimes Bureau is actively working to get Mr. Jackson back in custody.”

Jackson was accused of being the gunman when he and two others — Jaylin White, 19,  and Lafayette Whaley, 27 — prowled the streets of West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley in search of French bulldogs. They found Fischer on Sunset Boulevard and followed him in a white sedan to a secluded street before Jackson and White exited the vehicle and attacked Fischer.

Fischer attempted to fight them off in a violent struggle captured on a resident's doorbell camera before Jackson allegedly shot Fischer in the chest.

The suspects made away with two of the singer’s three dogs.

For their roles, White and Whaley were also charged with attempted murder and robbery last year.

Two other accomplices — White’s father and his girlfriend, Jennifer McBride — became embroiled in the high-profile case after McBride tried turning the dogs into authorities, as previously reported. McBride claimed she found the dogs tied to a pole while also inquiring about the reward for their return.

Following the shooting, Lady Gaga offered $500,000 to whoever could bring the dogs back safely, “no questions asked.”

Fischer survived the shooting, detailing the attack and his mental and physical recovery through a series of Instagram posts, as previously reported.

Anyone with information on James Howard Jackson’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department at 1-213-229-1850 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).