Recently, a man in Connecticut was sentenced to 120 days in prison for "breach of peace" after getting into a fight with his girlfriend and destroying some of her property, including killing her pet fish. While this may seem like a fairly minor (though cruel) crime, it shows just how quickly domestic matters can escalate and lead to violence.
The Curious Case of the Dead Betta
In April, a man in Connecticut showed up at his girlfriend's home and the two of them got into a fight. According to police, he pushed her, kicked and broke a TV, and then took his things and left her home. After he left, however, she found other damaged property in her home, including a pet betta fish that belonged to her and her 9-year-old son. The man had cut the fish in half before leaving. After arrest, he admitted to police that he killed the fish, and ultimately pled guilty to one count of second-degree breach of peace and was sentenced to 120 days in prison.
Domestic Disputes and Violence
While some might find the bizarre death of a pet fish in a domestic dispute oddly humorous (or a bit disturbing), it demonstrates how quickly domestic troubles can turn violent. In the fight, this man pushed his girlfriend, but that was the extent of violence toward her that was reported.
Still, the fact that he used a knife to slice the fish in half is a gruesome reminder of what could have happened had the situation escalated differently.
Domestic Battery in Chicago and Cook County
In 2011 in Cook County Jail, 12.7% of all admissions were for domestic battery, over 9,100 total. That made up over 44% of all admissions to the jail for violent crimes. That is a tremendously high arrest rate, which means more and more people find themselves in need of a strong domestic violence defense.
Defending against a domestic battery charge is no simple matter, but you are not alone. Call us at Mitchell S. Sexner & Associates LLC today at (312) 644-0444.
