maybe a ticket thingy.. not jail time

Yes. They are spoiled fraternity brats, and just like everything else, they will skate free on this.

I think they should definitely go to jail, before next time it's a human they are torturing for no reason

Are you seriously suggesting that people who fish go on to torture humans?

He should have to pay the $800 to the university though.

He should pay, but nothing more than that. Jail time would be just stupid.

Whatever the penalty is there for theft of $800 worth of stuff is, is what he should have to serve. If that's larceny and it carries a fine or probation or jail time, whatever.

^My thoughts exactly.

Yes Catherine, it's a fact that people who torture animals usually would do it to humans as well.

^^This isn't a matter of animal mutilation or torture, Kiki. This is a matter of a stupid fratenity stunt. And, no, people who fish, or hunt don't necessarily go on to kill humans.

They weren't fishing or hunting - they took someone's pet and tortured it before killing it only for the TV show. They weren't out on a lake getting dinner, they took an $800 beloved koi - those things are the size of cats

It's a frickin' fish, Kiki...get a grip.

It's someone's pet - it takes a sick person to kill a pet that they know the entire town loves. It takes a sick person to torture then kill any animal purely for entertainment or pleasure. Normal people could never do that.

It also takes a sick person to excuse that kind of behavior

Not to mention how much those koi fish cost - they definitely aren't cheap. If you went into a store and stole $800 worth of something, you'd be lucky to not be slapped with a felony

First off, if you had looked at my original post, I stated that I thought these guys should get the same punishment as anyone else who had taken something that was worth as much as the fish.

Second, unless you are a total vegetarian and have never eaten, nor worn an animal, you can stuff all the things you are saying about torturing animals. I found nothing in the article that says these guys did anything more than what millions of people do to trout, catfish, etc. They cooked it and ate it. And I would venture to say that a fish's capacity for recognition of what's going on is far less than that of a cow, pig, or sheep.

As far as the morale of the town, while remembering that I agreed that these guys should be punished, it is no worse than if someone takes a well-known statue from a park, or rips up a town garden. Punishment is warranted, but come on! It's still just a frickin fish.

It's too bad you feel that way. I guess you are like those frat rats, obviously they thought it was 'just a fish' too. Tell that to the people that loved it, named it and cared for it though.

La La Land, Kiki...stay there.

Of course they should. Not only did they steal something, they killed an animal. Not to mention the fact that the kill was probably not "humane" - the fish most likely suffered.

Can you believe that the article called it "murdering." It was a freakin fish. Some people should get a grip.

It is an animal... they killed an animal, they should get charged with animal crueity.

Filching...for a moment, I thought they said, "Felching".
Koi are big, and the eyes water at the thought.

yeah that was someones $800 fish. and lucky them that over $300 something is a felony...i hope they go to "pound me in the ass prison"

Yes. Animal cruelty is the worst crime that you can commit. They should be sent to prison for that since it was only a fish. Normally I want all animal abusers sentenced to death.

Its a FISH! Who would pay 800 for one anyways? They should get a medal for shining light on the fish's owners stupidity

Would all of you be feeling the same way if instead of fish it said dog or cat? Someone stole someones $800 pet dog and killed it? I'd bet you wouldn't say that they should just pay the $800 dollars back in that case as it would be more then just monertary value. Some of you will say that a dog isn't the same as a fish but they are both animals and both pets and only your society tells you that it is wrong to kill dogs. What if it was a pet snake or rabbit? Those animals are sometimes killed for food and other reasons.

The owner of the fish was the university.

The fish was a favorite of the students. A pet of the student body as a whole.

Probably the community service will be of more use in rehabilitating the Kasey and Matthew than jail time would be.

They should also have to buy an equivelant new 2 foot koi for the university. I don't know if this was required of them or not.

I believe the two were kicked out of the school, and the fraternity was kicked off campus, but it's been a while, and I don't remember for sure. (I live in Santa Cruz County, although not in Santa Cruz itself.)