Bellingham woman sent to prison for summer meat cleaver stabbing
A Bellingham woman was sentenced to a year and a half in prison in early October for stabbing a man in the back with a meat cleaver earlier this summer, according to Whatcom County Superior Court records.
Kathrine Frances Barnett, 43, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault (domestic violence) and was sentenced on Oct. 10, 2019. Barnett also received 1½ years of probation, must undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and comply with treatment. A 10-year no-contact order was put in place between Barnett and the victim, court records show.
Shortly before 9 p.m. on Aug. 2, Bellingham police were called to the 900 block of Mahogany Avenue for the report of an assault involving a knife.
Officers found an adult male lying face-down in the bathroom doorway with witnesses applying pressure to a laceration on his back near his spine, court records state.
The man, who is known to Barnett, told officers they were arguing and when he turned around, he felt her hit him in the back with something. When he turned to face her, he saw Barnett was holding a meat cleaver, records show.
Witnesses said the pair were arguing over pizza in the kitchen, court records state.
The man was taken to St. Joseph hospital for treatment.
Barnett told officers she didn’t remember anything, and they observed that she was highly intoxicated, had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and staggered when she walked. Her preliminary breath sample was .350, court records show.
She was cleared medically at the hospital, and taken to jail without incident.
Resources
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, you can contact the following local resources for free, confidential support:
▪ Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org.
▪ Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015.
▪ Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips.
▪ WWU Consultation and Sexual Assault Support Survivor Advocacy Services: 360-650-3700 or wp.wwu.edu/sexualviolence/.
