Oregon man given probation and psychological eval for stabbing his ex-girlfriend's fish to death
Oct 13 2009
Donald Earl Fite III is shown in a booking photo provided by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009, in Portland, Ore....His aquatic foe,DeLorean, is pictured above left, before tragic death.
(AP Photo/Multnomah County Sheriff's Office)
Donald Earl Fite III is shown above in a booking photo provided by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009, in Portland, Ore. Fite, 27, who attacked his ex-girlfriend and killed her pet fish has been sentenced to two years probation and a psychological evaluation. According to court documents, Donald Earl Fite III wanted to reunite with the woman last July, but she didn't want to get back together. Fite shoved the woman against a wall, grabbed her hair and tossed her against a bathtub. The woman fled, but returned to find her fish on the floor with a knife through it.Court documents say Fite told an officer, ''If she can't have me, then she can't have the fish.''
PORTLAND, Ore.— A Portland man who attacked his ex-girlfriend and impaled her pet fish this summer has been sentenced to two years probation, a psychological evaluation and community service. Donald Earl Fite III, 27, pleaded guilty Tuesday to animal abuse and domestic violence assault.
According to court records, Sarah Harris had broken up with Fite but returned to her Portland apartment July 25 to find him lying on her bed, saying he wanted to get back together.
When Harris tried to leave, Fite shoved her against a wall, grabbed her hair and tossed her against a bathtub.
Harris fled but returned with an officer to find her fish _ a bright purple betta named "DeLorean" _ on the wood floor with a knife through it.
According to court records, Fite quickly admitted killing the fish, telling police: "If she can't have me, then she can't have the fish."
Fite's attorney, Tom Macnair, said Tuesday that killing the fish was a "very low point" in his client's life. In his own defense, Fite pointed out that the fish was the size of his own head and he was concerned for his exes' safety living with such a large killer fish.
"He is, nonetheless, absolutely mortified and ashamed about what he did to the fish," MacNair said in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Fite, who had no previous criminal history, declined to make a statement.
Harris did not attend the hearing. In a phone interview with The Oregonian newspaper, she recalled crying hysterically when she saw the fish with a knife sticking through it.
"Donald bought the fish for me, and I'm sure he knew how much I cared for it," she said.
Betta fish, also known as Siamese fighting fish, are colorful freshwater aquarium fish that usually are between 2 and 3 inches long.
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