Woman sentenced for stabbing neighbor

EPHRATA - A Moses Lake woman, accused of stabbing a neighbor through an open window, was sentenced to 80 days in jail.

Erin B. Fuller, 26, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault in Grant County Superior Court, according to court records.

Fuller's plea stated she didn't admit to being guilty of the crime, but wanted to take advantage of the prosecutor office's offer, according to court records. Fuller was initially charged with first-degree assault.

"In this case there were serious issues with the credibility of both the alleged victim and the only other witness," Prosecutor Angus Lee stated. "Additionally, it was appropriate to reduce charges due to the fact that the alleged victim in this case was the initiator of the altercation and provoked the altercation."

State law allows judges to depart from the sentencing range in cases where, "to a significant degree, the victim was an initiator, willing participant, aggressor, or provoker of the incident."

Fuller's prior felony conviction for first-degree possession of stolen property did not count toward her sentencing range, according to court records. She faced a sentencing range of one to three months in jail.

Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz followed the prosecutor's recommendation, sentencing Fuller to 80 days in jail.

After Fuller and the victim argued earlier in the day, the victim and a friend were on a balcony of the apartment complex, according to a Moses Lake police report. Fuller reportedly opened her door several times and called the victim names.

The cause of the argument was not included in the police report.

While the victim sat near Fuller's window, she allegedly swung the window open and stabbed the victim in the shoulder. When the victim tried to escape, Fuller reportedly stabbed the woman a second time in the leg, according to court records.

Fuller allegedly admitted to the argument, but said she went back into her apartment to watch a movie and sleep. She reportedly said she woke when she heard someone breaking into the apartment. She allegedly said she stabbed the person after being attacked.

When police examined the window, they allegedly determined it was unlikely it could have been opened from the outside.