LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman whose two big dogs mauled a neighbor to death in the hallway of their San Francisco apartment building burst into wrenching sobs on the stand Monday as she recalled the grisly attack.

Marjorie Knoller's lawyer, Nedra Ruiz, elicited the response seconds after Knoller sat down by asking: "Ms. Knoller, how are you today?"

"I'm feeling awful," Knoller said. "Just thinking about the horrible way that Ms. Whipple died in that hallway causes me great sorrow and I'm in pain for everybody that knew her and spent time with her."

"My heart goes out to her family and friends that she died such a horrible death, and I couldn't stop him from doing what he was doing."

She sobbed loudly but quickly regained her composure.

Knoller, who was present when the dogs attacked 33-year-old lacrosse coach Diane Whipple in January 2001, is charged with second-degree murder. Knoller, 46, and husband Robert Noel, 60, are also charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Noel's lawyer rested his case without putting Noel on the stand.

Knoller discussed her youth in New York City, her training as a surgical assistant before she decided to become a lawyer, her move to California to attend law school, and her early days as a paralegal.

Asked about her history with dogs, Knoller said she never owned a dog before she and Noel adopted the two Presa Canarios that killed Whipple.

But she said she had extensive experience in training two dogs she shared with a friend during law school.