Postal Worker Gets Maximum Sentence For Killing Woman; Says He `Erupted'

James Fiori was functional, sorting mail for the post office and living quietly in his Queen Anne apartment the past seven years.

But he had no friends. He tried, but gave up ballet lessons, bowling and singles clubs. He felt people were making fun of him.

In a jail interview before being sentenced yesterday to almost 27 years in prison for killing and dismembering a prostitute last summer, Fiori said the years of frustration, isolation and anxiety finally "erupted like Mount St. Helens."

Fiori, 48, pleaded guilty last month to first-degree murder for stabbing and shooting Alane Alice Scott, 28, in his apartment July 18, then dismembering her body.

Scott's family sobbed as details of her death were discussed in court and flashed anger as Fiori turned to apologize. They cheered when he received the maximum sentence allowed under state guidelines.

Defense attorney Michael Danko asked King County Superior Court Judge Faith Enyeart Ireland to recognize Fiori's mental disorder and give him an exceptionally low sentence of 12 years in prison and continuing treatment.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Christian Harris found Fiori was not criminally insane when he killed Scott but that he suffers from a psychotic disorder he had somewhat controlled by sporadically taking prescribed drugs.

Senior Deputy Prosecutor James Konat said Fiori's mental problems did not rise to the level of a criminal defense or a reason to mitigate the sentence. Fiori said Scott is dead and he is bound for prison because he did not aggressively find treatment.

"It got to the point where I felt miserable and knew I'd feel the same tomorrow so I figured I could just get used to it,"' he said. "I didn't even bother to search for a comfort zone anymore."