With Tatiana's brutal attack nearing its one-year anniversary, the tiger's victim family sued the city of San Francisco and the San Francisco Zoo today for wrongful death. If you recall, the big cat escaped from her grotto last Christmas Day, attacking and killing 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. According to reports, Marilza and, Carlos' parents, claim that "the zoo and the city, as owners of Tatiana, the Siberian tiger that jumped over its enclosure and mauled Sousa and two of his friends, are liable for Sousa's death, according to their attorney Michael Cardoza." The bumbling Dhaliwal brothers, Carlos' "friends," were also injured when the Tatiana jumped out of her pit. Word is the brothers, while drunk and/or high, taunted the tiger, which prompted the attack. Allegedly.

Well, not "all," per se, but on Monday night Paul Dahliwal, one of the three people involved in the Christmastime tiger attack at the SF Zoo, telephoned Carlos Sousa Jr.'s mother, Marilza, to tell her that he and his chums were "dancing, talking, and laughing" moments before the attack. (Doing the Turkey Lurkey dance, no doubt.) It seems that Paul also told her that they were not taunting the tiger, something that has been widely speculated.

Mark Geragos, attorney for the Dahliwal brothers, claims that the SF Zoo shifted into smear-campaign gear against Paul and Kulbir right after the attack, claiming that they had taunted Tatiana. This hearsay phone call info to Sousa's parents certainly helps reinforce the brothers' case.

It should also be mentioned that, according to CBS 5, "a necropsy of Tatiana the tiger revealed that the claws on her hind paws were torn or frayed, perhaps suggesting that she struggling to gain traction on the grotto wall, trying to get out." The reason for Tatiana's desire to get out of her pen just prior to the attack remains an unanswered question in this case.

Tiger attack victim, 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr., was mourned last night at the Five Wounds Portuguese National Church in San Jose by hundreds of loved ones.

His altar was decorated with a flowers, including Raiders logo. It seems Sousa was an Oakland Raiders fan, reportedly wearing a Marcus Allen Raiders jersey the day he was killed at SF Zoo. According to the Gate, some of Carlos' "friends showed up at the funeral wearing 'In Memory of Carlos Sousa Jr.' T-shirts emblazoned with his photo and the messages, 'Sunrise 9-26-1990. Sundown 12-25-2007. Rest in Paradise.'" (Hey, he was a Libra! Very nice.)

For more information on vigils, donations, and more for Carlos' family, visit his memorial page.

No word yet as to whether or not either of the Dhaliwal brothers paid their respects to their friend last night. Given the media surrounding their current case and what's at stake, probably not.

Update: Paul Dhaliwal and Kulbir Dhaliwal made cameo appearances at the funeral, "escorted by one of their attorneys," it seems! Smart move, kids. Smart move.

It has been revealed that the uncooperative, tiger-mauled Dhaliwal brothers received a phone call from Carlos Sousa Sr. on Christmas Day when Carlos Jr. failed to show up for Christmas dinner. The father asked if they knew where his son was and was he with them? The brothers lied, saying that the aspiring DJ was not with them and they had no idea where he was. Police guess that the phone call was made either while the boys were en route to the zoo or already at the zoo.

So far, the Dhaliwal brothers have been hostile and belligerent towards the police, initially refusing to answer police inquiries or provide their names or the name of their friend.

While the deceased Carlos Sousa Jr. is now being viewed as a hero, his "friends" seem to be falling rather quickly down a shame spiral.

Check out more info on SFGate.