Everett man who killed parrot with fork gets 6 months
EVERETT, Wash. (AP) - A 63-year-old Everett, Wash., man has been sentenced to six months in jail for fatally stabbing his ex- girlfriend's parrot with a serving fork.
The Daily Herald reports that Richard J. Atkinson pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and domestic-violence malicious mischief in the Aug. 19 attack.
In a letter to the newspaper in September, the woman said she had the parrot, Bailey, for 18 years.
Defense lawyer William Steffener said at Tuesday's sentencing that his client doesn't remember what happened, but he may have mixed anti-anxiety medication with whiskey and slipped into a blacked-out rage.
Snohomish County Superior Court Judge George Appel ordered Atkinson to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. He also has to pay the woman for her parrot and destroyed belongings, and he can't own any animals for five years.
The Daily Herald reports that Richard J. Atkinson pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and domestic-violence malicious mischief in the Aug. 19 attack.
In a letter to the newspaper in September, the woman said she had the parrot, Bailey, for 18 years.
Defense lawyer William Steffener said at Tuesday's sentencing that his client doesn't remember what happened, but he may have mixed anti-anxiety medication with whiskey and slipped into a blacked-out rage.
Snohomish County Superior Court Judge George Appel ordered Atkinson to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. He also has to pay the woman for her parrot and destroyed belongings, and he can't own any animals for five years.
I'm always skeptical of people who "can't remember" what happened. It's so convenient.
Anyone that thinks it's a minor infraction to kill a pet is a moron. Whatever jail sentence he gets he deserves. Waste of skin. Many serial killers start out this way and go on to people. If anyone killed one of my pets I'd want them dead, would take care of it myself if I could.He should never own an animal, not smart enough. All you winers go ahead and complain. You are part of the problem in this country where we are surrounded by idiots for the most part. Â Anyone that kills another human, rapes women or messes with kids should be dead. They aren't good for anything and trying to reform them or change them is a waste of time. Our entire justice system is just as screwed up as the government from top to bottom. Idiots voting for idiots, what a concept.Â
This 'anger' issue was not anger but a controlling issue against the ex-girlfriend - many domestic abuse types torture, threaten to torture or kill pets in front of their victims - it's another form of domestic abuse. Sickening.  As for those of you griping about the sentence, this has been pushed by animal rights groups which I do belong to some and have pressed for more laws against animal cruelty - animal cruelty is human cruelty in some form or can move on toward human abuse and cruelty.  For those of you commenting about drunk drivers and child molesters get less - I wholeheartedly agree! We really need to get some humongous group that will push for more stringent laws against those 2 monstrous crimes as well.  Personally, I think child molestors/abusers should just be strung up.Â
To all those who say "it's only a bird."....
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Next time it'll be his girlfriend, ex-girlfriend or wife.
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I say give him what he gave the parrot, a fork in his gut.
can't own any animals for 5 years? who will enforce that? Even though to some it's only a parrot, what I see here is an enraged person trying to do something, anything, to hurt his ex girlfriend. I'd imagine there are other things he's done that no one is aware of, yet. Jerk, I hope they turn him inside out just for the fun of it.
WTF??? six months for killing a parrot??? The retards in our justice system are spending state money to keep someone in jail for killing a forty dollar parrot??
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Man!!! This state administration has gone completely nuts!!!!
He cant have any animals for 5 years, if he really wants to own a animal he can get a letter from his doctor that says he needs to have one to help relax him. I don't think a judge will be able to stop him from owning a animal at that time.Â
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Six months jail time for forking a bird, is not what I would want to pay for. He should have gotten six months Community Service.
he "may" have mixed anti anxiety medication with alcohol....yeah right.
 Maybe the parrot was calling him names....stick a fork in me...I'm done...
6 Months for killing a bird? The judge may need to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Drunk driving judges and off duty cops in Snohomish county who use 2 ton vehicles as weapons on our roads get a pass.
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What a joke
What a sick mofo. If I were the police, I'd be doing some serious investigation into this guy's past (unsolved crimes???). Anyone who can murder a pet like that obviously has psychotic issues. A normal person wouldn't just do something like this out of the blue.
squak, polly wants a fork.
Drunk Drivers who kill people get less time.....sickening
Glad to see the nanny states feather of justice at its finest again...
I'd say the sentence is a bit excessive, that said this guy clearly has a some issues. How about some court ordered anger management classes for this nutbag?
 @zach smith I'm not sure it's not long enough! In a fit of rage (whether drug & alcohol fueled or not), he KILLED a beloved pet that would perhaps have lived for many years yet. (The story doesn't specify the type of parrot, but some can live to to 100 years.)
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The Daily Herald story specified that Atkinson had no felony history, but it didn't -quite- say he's got no history at all.
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We can HOPE this man will learn, but I don't think we can bet on it.
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Fits of rage can be dangerous for any humans around also, but most of these asses with anger problems take it out on innocent pets..
Well, all I can say is that it's a good thing that judge doesn't know I had a chicken for dinner!
 @Lbaba Did you kill it cruelly with a fork, or was it humanely killed for you and presented to you for purchase by your local (or not quite so) market butcher?
 @Commenter87643  @Lbaba I'm not an animal rights advocate or vegetarian or anything, but If you really think that a chicken at grocery store is "humanely killed for you" you're nuttier than the judge that made this decision.
 @Avalonis  @Lbaba But no doubt more humanely that the fork. (And btw, if you don't shop at butchers that humanely kill your meat, it's your own fault).
The guy who was convicted of raping, killing and throwing Kristen Sumstad  in a Dumpster released by a judge.  The young girl was only about 12.  You can kill a parrot or cat and be given a severe sentence but kill a young girl and the court system will want to release that individual.  Where is John Athan now?  Maybe he's your neighbor!!
Probably depends on what judge is handing out the sentence, he might be an exotic bird lover...who knows how judges make decisions on what punishment fits the crime?
I hope this guy gets "forked" in prison. Repeatedly.
Wont be in prison.. County jail at best.
Yeah nice to know we're dishing out the best possible sentences here. </sarcasm>
Kill Tuba Man, get 6 months....Kill a parrot, get the same.
Could someone please tell me WTF is wrong with this picture!?!?
@Controlled-Insanity no shizzle right?
 @Controlled-Insanity We can only hope the killers of Tuba Man will eventually get a third strike life sentence. Many still grieve for that man!
 @Commenter87643 Third-strike "life" sentence? They all deserve a first-strike "death" sentence for MURDER.
 @TheTruncheon Yes, that's what they deserved, long ago, but we know they didn't get it, the 3rd strike is prolly the best we can hope for :(
 @Controlled-InsanityWashington State Liberal Justice.... (just a thought)
 @Funky-Munky  @Controlled-Insanity Not just a thought Funky......a sad reality. Our "Injustice System" is beyond pathetic, THUS one of the reasons I walk around armed.